John Ralph Daly

Jack escaped an early death at the age of nine. He fell off a hay wagon and was struck by moving farm equipment, which fractured his skull. He missed a year of school recovering, but was an accomplished athlete by high school, excelling in basketball and baseball. He also enjoyed dancing, and was crowned Doylestown High School’s King of the Gold-Diggers’ Dance.

Many remember Jack, as a young man, always making sure that the younger kids in his family and neighborhood were included in games and sports.

He joined the Navy after graduation, sailing the world in service to our nation for four years, first aboard the USS Denebola and later the USS Mullinnix. His favorite region was South America, and he held a particular affection for Rio de Janeiro. All that time on the water made Jack a skilled swimmer, high-diver, and water skier.

After the Navy, he returned to Ohio and worked for PPG. He met his wife-to-be, Barbara, on a nightclub dance floor. A few dates later, Barbara told friends and family that he was “the one.” The two were married in 1969, and soon after had two sons.

In 1973, like a trailblazer in the Western novels he enjoyed reading, Jack ventured west and settled with his young family at the base of the Rocky Mountains. While raising his children with Barbara, he worked in construction at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado for 23 years before retiring.

Jack enjoyed long camping trips, going through four trailers over the years. He had an affinity for exploring old trails, ghost towns, and other relics from the past.

He and Barbara moved to Northern Colorado in 2018 to be closer to family.

Jack was a man of simple tastes and working-class sensibilities. His character was shaped through hard work, patience, a do-it-yourself attitude, and a commitment to his family. He was a kind, accommodating soul, known for his big smile and loud laugh, who always took the high road above pettiness and resentment.

He now joins his parents, and his brothers, Daniel and William. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his sons, James and John; his brothers, Robert and Thomas; his sister, Dorothy; and his grandchildren, Chase and Olivia.