John Colford Daly

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Janet Gartland on May 28, 2018:

From our good neighbors across the street in Strafford came an urgent message from my great aunts in Dorchester, Massachusetts to come to the phone across the street. My Aunt Esther and I (a child of 12) walked worriedly across the street and I waited in kitchen of Martha Readio's house and then saw Aunt Esther crying and speaking to Martha then we went outside and I rushed along beside her asking over & over what was wrong, She told me tearfully that my cousin Johnny Daly had died in a car crash in Virginia; When we quickly reached our big farmhouse across the street where my Nana and sisters Etta, Margaret, Aunt Mary Colford (great grand aunt) were fearfully awaiting news of what happened, I blurted out in kid fashion, Cousin Johnny had died in a car accident in Kansas. Everyone burst into tears. My Aunt Etta went quickly to phone to call her brother Colonel John C. Daly and his wife Carolyn to support them and assure them that she and as many of them who could would fly down in days to be with them and attend and help with all services and the Burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Such a sad and terrible day. Johnny was only 24 years old. I remember him as so tall and handsome with a wonderful smile and a loving and polite manner. He was a joy to be with and we were all so proud of him...I think of him each day and I am now 75 years old and think of the wonderful life he would have had. Rest in Peace my loving, wistful Johnny. Your loving cousin Janet Huestis-Gartland on this Memorial Day in 2018.

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