SOUTH NEW BERLIN – Portia C. Dalton, 89, long-time resident of South New Berlin, passed away Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 in the Chenango Memorial Hospital.
The daughter of Columbus and Ivy Mayle, Portia was born in Philippi, W. Va., in July of 1918. She grew up in that area and continued to reside there at the time of her marriage to French Dalton in Oakland, Md. on Feb. 14, 1935. The Dalton family left Philippi in 1959 to move to South Mew Berlin, where Portia continued her life as a devoted wile and mother and an exceptional grandmother. Because her husband loved fishing and hunting, Portia took many trips to Canada with him over the years. In addition to raising her family, she worked away from her home, first at the At-A-Glance Calendar Company in Sidney and later as a solderer at Scintilla, retiring from its successor Bendix Corporation after 10 years. A humble and gentle lady with the soul of a poet, Portia proved to be a gifted writer. Though she never pursued having her work published, she did copy and bind her poems for her family’s enjoyment.
Portia is survived by her children and their spouses: Nina and the Rev, Kenneth Simpson, and Gary and Caroline Dalton, all of Norwich; her grandchildren and their spouses: Shelley and Arthur Green of Saugerties, Robyn and Robert George of Salamanca, Sherlyn and Gary Paltassino of Cortland, Christopher and Jennifer Simpson of Owego, Tracy and Chad Darrah of Webster, Gary Dalton and companion Gina Moore of Northport, Fla., Doreen and Todd Connelly of Norwich, and Caryn and Mike Smith of Webster; 21 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Portia was predeceased by her husband, French Dalton, on Sept. 7, 1983; by her sisters, Dorothy and Genevieve; brothers Pronty, Arthur, Audward, and Earl; and grandchildren Lauraine Simpson, Stephen Simpson, and Scott Dalton.
Funeral services for Portia will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Kurt Funk and the Rev. Kenneth Simpson will officiate. Interment will be at a later date in Riverside Cemetery of South New Berlin.
Friends are invited to call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.