Obituaries - Sept. 9, 2010

Robert E. Daily

The funeral service for Robert Daily, age 93, a retired Palouse area farmer was Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010, at 11 a.m. at the Potlatch Presbyterian Church. Pastor Larry Veith and the Rev. Kathy Kramer co-officiated. A private family burial at the Greenwood cemetery in Palouse preceded the ceremony.

Mr. Daily died Sept. 2, 2010, at his home doing what he enjoyed, driving the tractor and working the land.

Born April 11, 1917, in Palouse to Lester and Gertrude Daily, he attended the Daily School and graduated from Palouse High School with the class of 1934. He graduated from Washington State College with a degree in agricultural engineering in 1939. He and Betty Horrocks, who was a school teacher, were secretly married Nov. 20, 1937. After Robert’s graduation from college, when everyone thought they were going to announce their engagement they had been married for two years. In 1941, Robert raised his first crop. They moved to the homestead in 1943 where they lived and farmed.

Upon his retirement in 1982, they took a six month trip to Egypt working for the Egyptian Major Cereal Improvement Project where he showed local farmers how to use modern technology to improve their production. They enjoyed following his daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Ed Harvill, to the different states they were stationed with the military. Robert also enjoyed bowling (left handed), hunting, golfing, fishing and spending time with friends and family. He was very active in the Shriner’s, Latah County Grain Growers, Potlatch Presbyterian Church and the Elk’s Lodge.

Robert was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, and a daughter, Diane K. Daily.

Survivors include one daughter, Donna (Ed) Harvill; one son, Dennis Paul Daily of Los Angeles, Calif .; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.

Memorials can be sent to Shrine Hospital for Children, P.O. Box 2472, Spokane, WA 99210-2472, the Potlatch Fire and Ambulance Fund; Box 63 Potlatch 83855, or the Palouse Community Center, Box 23, Palouse, 99161.