Daniel Layton

Daniel Eugene Layton

Daniel Eugene Layton, master storyteller, world traveler, planter of trees, late bloomer artist, and self-proclaimed Best Farmer in West Layton, passed away February 11, 2021, in the same room in which he was born.  He was 93.

He had a life-long love affair with the land.  He excelled in growing onions, wheat, alfalfa, trees of every variety, and irises.  He was a man who would not abide a weed.  He kept his properties pristine, and even when health issues forced him to scale back physical work, he farmed via telephone, managing his farm from his hospital bed and living room couch, with help from neighbors, family, and friends.

Dan Layton never met a stranger.  Within minutes of meeting someone, he would ask where they were from, who their family was, and immediately make a connection and he would commence recounting related historical or personal details about their family, town, state or country.

He was generous and shared his harvest with neighbors and friends, dropping onions and potatoes, and corn on side porches or lawns.  He always had a bag of suckers in his truck available for anyone, child or adult.

Although he had many talents, he always said he “had one talent, Memory”, and that he never hid it under a bushel, and this was a fact.  He had a prodigious memory.  Ask him almost anything about world history, give him a surname, an obscure detail of local history or residents of West Layton, and he was off to the races with stories, asides, and connections.

He graduated from Weber College (Weber State University) in 1950 and Utah State Agricultural College (Utah State University) in 1952 in Humanities and Geology.  He began work on his Masters in Geology, but the lure of the land drew him to farming, and his love of adventure and the open rail, to the Southern Pacific Railroad, where he worked as a brakeman until 1985.  Both farming and the railroad were life-long passions.

He served a peacekeeping mission at the conclusion of WWII in the Navy, in the Pacific Theater in Guam, Philippines, Saipan, and China.  He said these experiences of traveling the world by the age of 21, got him “over the mountain” and “out from under the tub”.  He said it showed him the world was a big place, much bigger than his beloved West Layton, and he brought the world home to his family and friends.  He loved nothing more than going back to the South Pacific, regaling friends, family, and new friends in coffee shops and cafes with his stories.

Dan married Ann Roberts in 1960 and they were sealed in the Ogden LDS Temple in 1972.  They enjoyed traveling with family and friends.  They celebrated their 60th Anniversary on August 12, 2020.  They have seven children; Pat (Steve) Weber, Jamie (Cecil) Gregory, Scott (Peggy) Layton, Danna (Curt) Sides, Alison (Rick) Wadsworth, Christopher Daniel Layton, Mary (Lon) Searle.  They also have 28 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Dan is preceded in death by his father, James Archie Layton, mother Opal Hartzog Cromwell, sister, Mattie Beck, brothers, Gerald Layton, and Billy Layton.  He is survived by sisters Della Burg and Nancy Reintz.

The Layton family would like to extend special thanks to Visiting Angels, Rocky Mountain Hospice and Dr. Stinnett for their compassionate and dedicated care.  Also thanks to Dan’s helpers who helped him continue caring for his land, livestock, and properties; Delaney Nalder, Rick Younger, Tyson Roberts, Tammy V., and Shaun Clark.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Rd., Layton, Utah.  Friends may visit with family from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary prior to the funeral service.

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by going to www.lindquistmortuary.com and scrolling to the bottom of Daniel’s obituary page.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Daniel by donating to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Perpetual Education Fund.

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