Jay Dalley

Our dad, grandpa, husband, brother, uncle, friend, and teacher passed on to the spirit world on Friday, January 17, 2025, after a challenging health battle, surrounded by family who loved him. He leaves behind his sons, Brandon and Rhett, and his current wife, Maria de Lourdes Vazquez. He was guided on his path to eternity by our Savior, Jesus Christ, and was welcomed by his eternal companion and mother of his sons, Guisela Terrazas, and by his parents, Vard and Merilynn Dalley.

Jay was born on August 26, 1956, in Sacramento, California. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and had strong faith in our Savior from an early age. His faith served him well as the family moved around the country due to his father's Air Force career. The family spent time in Sacramento, California; Montgomery, Alabama; Wichita Falls, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Spokane, Washington; Kaysville, Utah; Clovis, New Mexico, and finally settled on Cherry Lane in East Layton, Utah.

Jay and his siblings, Margo and Chris, loved to watch Saturday morning cartoons together and cheered as Wiley Coyote was being chased by the Road Runner and Bugs Bunny bested Yosemite Sam. Somehow Jay learned how to imitate Donald Duck with far better elocution than even Donald could muster. No matter how many times Margo begged Jay to do it, she would howl with laughter and collapse in stitches.

When Jay was quite young, his dad gave him a little folding chess set. Each playing piece had a magnet that would allow it to stick on the red and black metal squares. Jay took to chess quite naturally and brought back an exceptionally large carved chess set from Bolivia while on his mission. Its board sat on a pedestal and graced their living room for many years as he taught his sons to play. Jay also enjoyed playing chess with his young grandson, Hayes, and it was fun to see the two of them sitting across from each other staring at the board with furrowed brows.

Jay was a voracious reader of encyclopedias, memorizing historical and geographical facts and data long before the internet existed. He had a special interest in U.S. military history, no doubt influenced by his father, and especially loved learning about World War II. He even memorized the full inventory of U.S. Naval vessels. His father's service to the country instilled in him a sense of pride and civic duty, which began manifesting during his participation in Boy Scouts. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in a well- attended ceremony, as both his parents beamed with pride. This sense of duty later led Jay to serve a brief stint in the U.S. Air Force, following in his father's footsteps.

Jay and his sister Margo worked summers at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. They would often get off work extremely late at night. On one memorable night it was about 1:00 am when Jay and Margo sagged into the car and Jay began driving home. Margo climbed into the backseat to lie down and stuck her feet out the window to feel the cool breeze. Suddenly, the staccato glare of flashing police lights filled the cab. Jay slowed down with his heart pounding and pulled over. A police officer with a flashlight walked up to the open window. "What have you got in the back seat?" he asked. Jay replied, "My sister." Margo felt the flashlight wash over her. "You, okay?" the officer asked. "Uh, yeah," Margo replied. The officer explained, "Well, your brother here might have been hauling a dead body." The officer then began writing something down and stated, "I'm issuing you a citation for an unauthorized position in a moving vehicle."

Jay graduated from Layton High School in 1974 where he was able to make use of his talents as an artist and writer on the yearbook staff. After high school, Jay spent the summer in Lanai, Hawaii planting pineapple for Dole. He had the tenacity and physical prowess to achieve the coveted feat of planting ten thousand pineapple starts in one day, becoming a member of an elite club. Both of his sons also spent time living in Hawaii and credit the islands for success in finding their wives. Jay was happy to return to Hawaii so he could cheer at Rhett's graduation from Brigham Young University, Hawaii. Before his mission, Jay also worked construction in all kinds of weather. He was a strapping six foot two, with deep blue eyes and could grip and muscle cement forms into place on the job site all day long.

Everyone who knew Jay recognized his humility, earnestness, tenacity, and intelligence. He was a diligent worker and chose to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was called to serve from 1975 to 1977 in the Bolivia, La Paz mission, and quickly became fluent in Spanish. Jay touched many people's lives with his testimony of the Gospel. One young man who was seventeen at the time was especially receptive. Decades later, he found Jay and told him "I just want you to know how profoundly you influenced my life, and now the lives of my children who know that God lives because of you. Thank you." Jay's language skills served him well throughout his life, as did his willingness to serve. He spent many years serving as ward financial clerk, and he loved teaching the youth Sunday School. Jay was a dedicated home teacher and was an example to his sons as they took turns being his companion.

Jay met his eternal companion, Guisela Terrazas in Provo, Utah, while she was in the country to learn English. They had previously met in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, her hometown, during Jay's mission, but Guisela did not remember him, explaining, "All gringos look alike." Jay asked her out and ultimately brought her home to meet his family. His sister remembers the day that Guisela and Jay walked through the door of the family home in East Layton. She was wearing a rose-pink sweater and skirt combination that set off her thick dark hair, sparkling brown eyes and dazzling smile. The family was instantly charmed.

Jay and Guisela were married on November 7, 1980, in the Salt Lake Utah Temple. They began life in Layton and eventually settled in Rose Park, Salt Lake City where they began raising their two sons. They built a home in North Salt Lake, and their last beautiful home together was in Kaysville, where they were living when Guisela passed away, on March 16, 2007.

Jay graduated with an associate's degree in accounting from Stevens-Henager College in Ogden, Utah. He also earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Westminster College in 1989. He spent his career working in accounting and collections. He enjoyed working for Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. He loved that Guisela and Rhett were working across the street at Grand America, and they would often meet to have lunch. Jay sometimes held multiple jobs to care for his family. His sons remember with fondness working alongside their father during late nights spent at the Deseret Gym where he provided custodial services and accompanied him on early morning family paper routes.

Brandon and Rhett will always be grateful for how hard their father worked to provide for their family and treasure the memories they have of traveling together as a family. They took extended trips to Bolivia to visit Guisela's family and give the boys an appreciation for the Bolivian culture which was so important to Jay and Guisela. They also remember the fun times spent at Disneyland, Dinosaur National Park, and other National Parks that Guisela loved to visit. They packed so much into their trips and would come back exhausted. Guisela would sigh and explain, "Having fun is hard work." Jay and Brandon were also happy to travel to Brazil to bring Rhett home from his mission in 2007.

The only thing Jay loved nearly as much as his family and the Gospel was BYU football. The Dalley men, including Grandpa Vard, spent many nights bonding as they collectively yelled at the TV or cheered on the Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Even during the darkest moments of his illness, his mood would be lightened and lifted by news of the Cougars vanquishing yet another foe this past season.

Jay's faith and testimony remained strong until the end. He had an unwavering belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which he instilled in his sons from their earliest years. He loved to teach them from the scriptures and led by example. He and Guisela built a beautiful life together that was centered on the Savior, for which Brandon and Rhett will be eternally grateful. While he may not have been wealthy in the things of this world, his faith-filled legacy is priceless. His sons have followed his example by serving missions, marrying in the temple, and endeavoring to pass this same legacy on to their own children. Jay showed his love to his four grandchildren by attending their notable events including dance recitals, birthday parties, blessings, baptisms, primary programs, and the occasional pick-up game of chess.

After Guisela's passing, Jay spent some years alone. In 2016, he was introduced to Maria de Lourdes ("Lulu") Vazquez through his home teacher, whose wife was Lulu's missionary companion. They were married on April 20, 2017, in Sandy, Utah. They spent the last nearly eight years together living in Utah county. Jay opened his arms to Lulu's three sons, their wives, and seven grandchildren as if they were his own. Jay had a special place in his heart for Lulu's grandson, Milo, with whom he loved to play and rough house. Milo showed his affection by asking about Jay when he did not see him. Jay enjoyed watching classic TV shows, going to the movies, singing along to the radio while driving, dancing, joking and all things chocolate.

Jay is survived by his wife, Maria de Lourdes, and by his sons, Jay Brandon (Katelyn) and Rhett Vard (Bonnie), and his four grandchildren: Harlow Guisela and Hayes Terrazas; Amelia Guisela Haukea and Amussen Terrazas Kaimana. He is also survived by sister, Margo Taylor (William Eckerle), and brother, Christopher Lee Dalley.

We are thankful for the knowledge that Jay is once again radiantly healthy, having completed his earthly journey, and that he continues to be surrounded by loved ones. He will be missed by family, as well as friends at home and abroad who remember his legacy and thank him for his missionary service in Bolivia. We know deep in our hearts that we will see his peaceful smile and embrace him once again.

A viewing will be held on Friday January 24, 2025 from 8:45am-9:45am with a funeral service to be held immediately afterward beginning at 10:00am in the LDS Chapel located at 127 East 3200 North Lehi, Utah 84043. Following the funeral service he will be transported to the Kaysville City Cemetery where he will be laid to rest.