Zachary "Zach" Robert Dayton

Zachary “Zach” Robert Dayton, age 32, of Newark, DE passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. A lifelong resident of Newark, DE, Zachary was the owner of his landscaping company, Dayton Exterior Services since 2011. He was a graduate of the Charter School of Wilmington and the University of Delaware Associate’s in Arts Program. Zach truly cherished his time with his family and friends. He loved oceans, lakes and rivers, snorkeling in tropical waters, riding waves and body surfing at South Bethany, family vacations, long hikes and disc golf at Carpenter State Park, mushroom hunting with his Grandpa, mountain biking – the faster the better, skateboarding through Newark, listening to music and playing his favorite video games. He loved playing Lacrosse in high school, playing ping pong at Dayton family gatherings, playing beach volleyball and smash ball. He looked forward to all holidays, Firefly, Oktoberfest and most definitely, the weekend. In his own way, Zach passionately focused on the needs of others; he would take the time to speak to anyone and had a genuine interest in learning about different kinds of people. He practiced random acts of kindness by helping neighbors, homeless people and others. We will always remember Zach’s infectious smile, warm heart and the twinkle in his eyes. He was the son of Susan (Clupper) Jones and Robert Dayton II and brother to Ryan J. Dayton. Zach was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Herbert and Margaret Dayton. He is survived by his maternal grandparents Harold and Barbara Clupper, his parents Susan (Clupper) Jones (Kevin), Robert Dayton II (Teresa); brother Ryan J. Dayton (Steven Oliver); step siblings, Trevor (Anna), Travis and Traci Tabah, and Chris and Andrew Jones, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. On behalf of Zach and his family, thank you to all of those who cared for him, showered him with love, friendship and kindness throughout his entire life. Services will be private. A celebration of Zach’s life will be held at a later date when large gatherings are permitted. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends and knowing Zach, when we do gather, he would love for us to include barbecue and beer. One last thought, Zach struggled with his mental illness and tried so hard, seeking help for the last 2 years; his family strongly urges those who are struggling to please reach out to family, friends and mental health professionals. In lieu of flowers, please honor Zach’s memory by practicing random acts of kindness, make a donation to your favorite charity or make a donation to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) https://www.namidelaware.org/ or Mental Health Association in Delaware https://www.mhainde.org/