Shelter Island Reporter obituary: Bruce K. Dalton

Bruce K. Dalton of Shelter Island passed away on April 28, 2022.

He was born in Queens on April 13, 1934, and lived on Shelter Island from the early 1970s.

He served as the postmaster for the Shelter Island Center Post Office for many years. His calm and incredibly welcoming personality served him well in that position.

He moved to Shelter Island to assist his mother, Elizabeth Dalton, as she cared for his father, Charles Dalton Jr. after his father suffered a stroke. After his father passed away, Bruce retired and remained on the Island as a companion to his mother.

They shared many adventures together, often traveling with other family members.

Bruce was a consummate gentleman, always there to help friends and family with anything they needed, often before they asked. He was also an avid dog walker.

Many Islanders would recognize him as he took long walks with his dogs, Mya, and then Cricket.

Bruce had a number of interests, including golf, bridge, traveling, dining out, frequently with the Romeos, and avidly following New York and Duke sports.

His golf accomplishments were many. As a longtime member of the Gardiner’s Bay Country Club, he won many tournaments and awards, including the Jerry Worthington Cup (twice) and Silver Cup trophies. At the age of 83, he and his brother Rick won the 2017 Osprey VI Member-Guest Championship. The duo also won the Buick Scramble Tournament Regional and advanced to the Championship finals in Florida. Bruce scored three holes-in-one at GBCC after he had turned 70, and often joked that it was too bad he was too old to see the ball go in the hole.

Dining at the Country Club was something he loved to do with any family that visited him, and buffets were a favorite. Traveling throughout Europe and the United States, spending time in Florida, Pennsylvania and Cape Cod with family were some of his favorite activities.

Always looking for new dining experiences was a must when Bruce traveled.

Bruce was the beloved brother of Deborah Childers (Jerry), Richard Dalton (Julie) and favorite uncle of Chip Childers (Spring), the late Thomas Childers, Katherine Weiss (Jon), Drew Dalton and Rebecca Dalton. He was the “greatest” uncle to Eve Childers, Lucas Weiss and Ellie Weiss.

Other siblings included the late Charles Dalton III, Dorothy Crossan and Edith Sennett.