Samuel Fleming Dayton Jr.

1935 - 2019

On December 25, Dr. Sam F. Dayton, Jr., businessman and community advocate, loving husband and father to four children, passed away. He was 84. Born to Samuel Fleming Dayton and Mary Lou (Adams) Dayton December 24, 1935, Sam grew up in the Gainesville Mill neighborhood. At Gainesville High School he was valedictorian and president of his class of 1953. Sam served his country with distinction in Southeast Asia as a linguist and intelligence officer in the Army. He completed undergraduate work at Young Harris College where he also taught Physics and Math, and received his Master's Degree and Doctorate from the University of Georgia. His Ph.D. was in economic geography with a focus on economic development in Appalachia. The main part of Dr. Dayton's career was as executive director of the Georgia Mountains Area Planning and Development Commission, which he joined in 1971. For two decades, Dr. Dayton and the team of professionals he headed worked to secure funding for economic and cultural development projects in Northeast Georgia. GMAPDC worked on projects ranging from water treatment plants to childcare access and elder care, from industrial development and the initial stages of Lake Lanier Islands and the expansion of GA-365 to various parks and nature trails in the region. Sam was a strong supporter of and believer in our community. He served on many local boards and was especially interested in helping other small businessmen through various organizations dedicated to providing business loans and economic development assistance. He was a long-time member and deacon of First Baptist Church, and also was active with many local cultural groups and charities. Dr. Dayton invested in, founded or ran several local businesses in fields as varied as telecommunications, construction, internet services, financial services, and manufacturing. He was most recently a co-owner and CFO of GlobalTech Industries, a manufacturer of candles and other consumer goods. Located in Cornelia Georgia, GlobalTech employs over 300 people. Sam was preceded in death by his parents Sam and Mary Lou, and his older sister Helen. He is survived by his wife Beth, his son Mike, three daughters Leslie, Mary and Katherine, and his sister Sue. He has two grandchildren, Thomas and Nora. Although flowers are welcome, the family also encourages donations to the Northeast Georgia Homeless Veterans Shelter at neghvs.org instead.