October 7, 1936 – October 15, 2022
Louisville , Kentucky – Roger McDonald Dalton passed away on Oct. 15th after complications from a fall, having just celebrated his 86th birthday.
He was born in Louisville on Oct. 7th, 1936, a 5th birthday present to his brother Stuart. He graduated from Atherton High School (’54) and Yale University (’58), where he was a member of Book and Snake, and then served two years in the Navy with the Pacific Fleet on the USS Bennington. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1962.
Roger had a long and successful banking career starting at First National Bank in Louisville and finishing as President and CEO of the National City Bank of Lexington and Central Kentucky market from 1990-1997, and Chairman of the Board from 1997-1998. His trusted colleague from that time, Harry Richart, described Roger as “the finest individual he ever had the privilege of serving under. His velvet glove, steady-handed approach and wise counsel are just some of the things he was admired for.”
After retirement, he and his beloved wife Lucy spent time traveling and visiting with their dear friends and family. Of their many trips, Africa stands out as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and for years they spent several weeks in the summer in Chautauqua, NY, tending to their lifelong thirst for knowledge.
A life-long horseman, Roger believed (as his father had often said) that “the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” He was a member of the Long Run Woodford Hounds of Simpsonville and the Iroquois Hunt Club in Lexington, and spent much of his time at the family farm in Simpsonville.
Roger served faithfully on many boards and committees in both Louisville and Lexington, where he was president of the local chapter of the Financial Executives Institute, member of the Session and finance chairman at Anchorage Presbyterian Church, a trustee of Transylvania University, and on the boards of the Kentucky Horse Park, Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Boy Scouts of America Blue Grass Council. He was also a long-serving member of Rotary and belonged to the Conversation Club and the River Valley Club.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Judge Roscoe R. Dalton and Dorothy Baker Dalton; his brother and sister-in-law, Stuart Baker Dalton and Virginia Bickel Dalton; and his former wife, Marcia Woodruff Dalton.
He leaves behind his much-loved wife of 28 years, Lucy Rietze Dalton; his brother Dr. W. Lisle Dalton (Kathy) of Lexington and sister Virginia Heyburn (John); his four children Kate Boyer (Mark), Lisle (Rebekah Ambrose-Dalton), Laura (David Renner) and Clay (Lisa); his grandchildren Annie and Virginia Boyer and Roscoe Dalton; plus many friends and a large family of Dalton and Baker kin.
Visitation was held Friday, October 21st from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Pearson’s, 149 Breckenridge Lane in Louisville.
His memorial service was 2 p.m. Saturday at Highland Presbyterian Church, 1011 Cherokee Road, with a private family burial the next day at Cave Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made to the Rotary Club of Louisville’s Educational Program, 325 W Main St Suite 1808, Louisville, KY 40202, the Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Work Pike, Lexington, KY 40511 or a charity of your choice.