Dayton Sayre Ely, Jr.

Mr. Dayton Sayre Ely, Jr. passed away on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Piedmont Athens Hospital.

Mr. Ely was born on August 12,1944, in Morristown, New Jersey to Dayton Sayre Ely,Sr. and Minnie Olive Mack Ely. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War as a missile technician on nuclear submarines. After being honorably discharged from military service, Mr. Ely worked as a hydropower electrician for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Craig Ely and Toni King of Elberton, GA; and three daughters: Candace and Scott Cosner of Locust Fork, AL, Heather Ely of Elberton, GA, and Sayreh Ely of Hartwell, GA. Mr. Ely is also survived by four grandchildren: Caroline and Tucker Gardner of Remlap, AL, and Gabriel Cosner, Seth Cosner and Moriah Cosner, all of Locust Fork, AL. He also leaves behind six nieces and nephews as well as thirteen great nieces and nephews. Mr. Ely is preceded in death by both of his parents and his older siblings: Lois Ely Cowart of Garden Grove, CA and Fred Sayre Ely of Bella Vista, AR.

Dayton’s hobbies included listening to classical music, reading, painting, writing poetry and song lyrics, being an avid sports fan - particularly of the Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball), the Carolina Panthers (football), and Duke University Blue Devils (basketball), and being immersed in nature. His nature-related interests ranged from hiking to waterfalls in the Blue Ridge Mountains, fly-fishing in mountain streams, driving through winding mountain paths to see the brilliant colors of the fall-time foliage and to bird-watching and squirrel-feeding. Mr. Ely was also an extraordinarily animated story-teller and although his works are currently unpublished, he wrote several novels.

While Dayton enjoyed all of these pursuits and was a lifelong follower of Christ, later in his life,his deepest passion and satisfaction came from his relationship with Jesus Christ. He became a man of vigilant prayer with a heart devoted to the Word of God and to the evangelism of souls. Even during his battle with cancer, he eagerly shared Christ with all he encountered. Loving Jesus and following in His ways had so consumed him that he led one of his nurses into her own living relationship with the Savior.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Goldmine Church, 2081 Goldmine Holly Springs Road, Royston, GA, 30662.

In keeping with Dayton’s love of Jesus and heart for advancing the Kingdom, the family asks for well-wishers to consider making donations to Goldmine Church marked with Mr. Ely’s name for Missions or the Building Fund. For those who seek to convey condolences in a more traditional manner, flowers will still be accepted and appreciated, and should be delivered directly to the church.

Those wishing may sign the online guestbook at berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton, GA is assisting the family of Mr. Dayton Sayre Ely, Jr.