Richard Lyon Daly

Dr. Richard Lyon Daly, born April 13, 1940 in New York City to Richard Francis Daly and Lois Constance Lyon, sadly passed away July 4, 2023 in Salt Lake City. Richard is survived by his brothers, Robert from Florida, David (Lynn) from California, and his sister, Alyce Brannan (Frank), from Salt Lake City, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Richard, or Dixie as we called him, was passionate about learning. He amassed a collection of books that threatened to push him out of house and home. Richard earned a Ph.D in Anthropology Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Utah, and studied this and archeology his entire life. He participated in archeological excavations of the Petra site in Jordan, the excavation of the Nauvoo Temple to digs in the Middle East, his primary interest of study. Richard taught classes at Salt Lake Community College and the University of Utah. Some of his former students say he was an interesting and brilliant instructor, always willing to take extra time to discuss subject matter after class.
He enjoyed talking with us about his young adult life, telling us about spending the evening with Jimi Hendrix at his apartment after meeting him after a concert. The two made an immediate connection. It was one of his favorite stories. In his last years, he spent much of his social time at the 10th East Senior Center where he connected with old friends and made plenty of new ones. Continuing his teaching, he taught classes at the senior center in Archeology and Astrology. He would buy Pizza for everyone on his birthday every year. Our family is very grateful for the services provided by our senior centers and the connections they provided Richard in his senior years.
We remember Richard as someone who thrived on research and delighted in giving his young nieces and nephews books at family functions. He would talk to them about his research projects, giving them high quality and age-appropriate material for them to read. We will miss his brilliant intellect, his willingness to share his work, and the example of excellence in education he instilled in our young family members. He was an original-indeed.
Rest in Peace, Dixie.