Irene G. Dayton

Irene G. Dayton, poet and novelist, passed away April 16, 2013, at the age of 91, after a brief illness.

Born August 6, 1922, she grew up near Lake Ariel, Pa. Becoming a committed Christian at age 14, she manifested throughout her life a concern for others and served in leadership capacity in several churches and literary organizations. She was a member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville.

She began writing poetry at an early age and is the author of four books of poetry: "The Sixth Sense Quivers," "The Panther's Eye," "Seven Times The Wind," "In Oxbow of Time's River." She is also author of the novel "Sobs of the Violins," involving the fate of the French Resistance in the Vercors Mountains of the French Alps during World War II. She was a Life Member of the Poetry Society of America, a member of The North Carolina Poetry Society, The Academy of American Poets, and the Poetry Society of Rochester, N. Y. She is listed in the International Author's and Writer's Who's Who and The International Who's Who In Poetry edited in London, England.

She was educated at Roberts Wesleyan College within the environs of Rochester, N.Y. After graduating she met Benjamin Dayton, a physicist at a scientific company where they were both employed. They were married in October 1943. The Daytons lived in Iromdequoit, a suburb of Rochester, many years, during which she wrote many poems that were accepted for publication. She became a finalist in The Yale Series of Younger Poets in 1958. She served as President of the Rochester Poetry Society for two terms as well as editing an Anthology of the Society.

Through the years she accompanied her husband on many occasions attending Symposia and International Congresses on High Vacuum Technology in the United States, Europe and Japan. Upon moving to the Flat Rock area of Western North Carolina in 1973, she continued composing poetry, teaching creative writing classes at Blue Ridge Community College. The Daytons were privileged to have 69-plus years of marriage.

She is survived by her husband, Benjamin, and one son, David (Charlene) B. Dayton of Cleveland, Ohio; daughter-in-law, Linda Dayton of Gates; granddaughters, Heather (Jason) Argo, Melissa Dayton (Vinny Leta); great-granddaughter, Amelia. A second son, Glenn C. Dayton, died in 2008.

On Saturday morning, April 20, friends are invited to attend her funeral services at 9:30 at the DiPonzio Funeral Home, Inc., 219 Spencerport Road, Gates. Interment, Mt. Hope Cemetery.

Jackson Funeral Service is assisting the family locally.