Donald "Jake" DAILEY was born to Roy and Gertrude DAILEY on November 25, 1921. Jake grew up in rural Ringgold County, Iowa, with his siblings, Harold, Howard, Darlene (DAILEY) HARVEY, Margaret (DAILEY) RHODES, Merle, Donella (DAILEY) REED, Dorothy (DAILEY) TAYLOR, and JoAnn (DAILEY) PARKER. They attended the rural country schools up to the third grade, then attended Mount Ayr public schools from which they graduated.

Jake was an employee of HORNE'S Rexall Drug Store from 1940 to 1942 when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving from 1942 to 1946 during World War II, and again from 1952 to 1953 during the Korean War.

Jake served Ringgold County from 1947 to 1952 ad the county's recorder. He owned and operated Mount Ayr Furniture Store from 1954 to 2005 and Lucky Lanes Bowling Alley from 1967 to 1995.

Jake served Ringgold County and Mount Ayr well as a member of Ringgold County Historical Society, being president from 1947 to 1955; Mount Ayr Centennial Committee; Ringgold County Centennial Committee; Ringgold County Bi-Centennial Committee; Judge LEWIS Park board; Heritage Park Apartments board; preservation Partnership with Mount Ayr Depot Preservation Corp., serving as the treasurer from 1997 to the present; Veterans of Foreign Wars and as Commander in 1955 and a 50-year member; Mount Ayr Community School's football chain gang from 1954 to 1994; Member of the Committee for "Honor Roll of Distinguished Citizens of Ringgold County; Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Grand Noble from 1975-2000 and a 50-year member; Masonic Lodge and as Worshipful Master in 1957; 50-year member of the American Legion, and Commander in 1961, Adjutant from 1962-1975; 50-year member of the Methodist Church; treasurer of Methodist Men from 1950 to 1971; Mount Ayr's Businessmen's Club; and Chamber of Commerce. Jake was awarded the Governor's Volunteer Award in 1996 and Iowa Football Coach Distinguished Service Award in 1998. In 1996 he was the Grand Marshall of Mount Ayr's Homecoming Parade.

Jake proclaims that his greatest honor is his wife of 60 years, their three children, their three grandchildren, and their three great-grandchildren.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, September 27, 2012

Mount Ayr resident Jake DAILEY was honored September 11, for his military service and volunteer efforts through a surprise veteran pinning ceremony held by HCI Hospice Care Services at Mount Ayr American Legion Post #172. Those on hand to pay tribute were DAILEY'S daughter Martha and son-in-law Ron LANDPHAIR, HCI Care Services staff and American Legion members.

Since March, HCI Care Services has conducted more than a dozen similar pinning ceremonies for its patients who are veterans in honor of their service to the nation.

DAILEY has attended all of these as a volunteer through the organization's Veteran-to-Veteran program, which matches volunteers with military experience with hospice patients who are also Veterans.

Veteran-to-Veteran volunteers provide companionship while talking, reading and sitting with patients, helping them come to terms with past events and find peace.

Those interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to contact Cindy MITCHELL, HCI Care Services volunteer coordinator, at cmitchell@hcicare-services.org or at 641-464-2088.

HCI Care Services is a Partner Level Three of We Honor Veterans, a pioneering campaign from NHPCO and the Department of Veterans Affairs to empower hospice professionals to meet the unique needs of dying veterans. The program teaches respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgement to comfort patients with a history of military service and possible physical or psychological trauma.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2012

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 05, 2015, Page 10

Donald D. (Jake) Dailey served in the United States Navy during WWII. He entered active service on July 17, 1942 and remained until Dec. 30, 1945.

He completed basic training and then was trained as a hospital corpsman at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He then took care of wounded warriors for one year at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital in New York. While there, Jake had the great opportunity to visit with his brothers, Harold, Jack and Frank before they shipped out.

Jake departed California on January 1, 1944 and crossed the equator and International Date Line on January 4, 1944. During Jake's service in the South Pacific he was a surgical technician at such extoic locations as Fiji, Espiritu Santo, Russell Islands, Milmue Bay, New Guniea, New Caledonia, Los Negros and Manus in the Admiralty Island.

Jake was responsible for initial surgical care for hundreds of wounded soldiers.

Jake was then called back to duty on April 4, 1951 to provide support during the Korean War. Jake was retrained at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital as a Radiological Defense and Disaster Technician. He served in that capacity until his final discharge on May 6, 1952.

Jake served a total of over eight years in the defense of his country spanning two wars. He spent 35 months away from home and served nearly two years overseas patching up his fellow airmen, sailors and marines.

Jake's service earned him numerious awards including the Navy Combat Ribbon, Pacific Theatre, American Theatre, WW II Victory and the Good Conduct Medal.

We salute this Ringgold County veteran and hero.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2012

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 13, 2017, Pages 1 & 9

[Editor's Note: The following article appeared in the March 15 edition of Care-Matters, the official publication of HCI Hospice Care Services. It is reprinted here in its entirety with permission of the publisher.]

Mount Ayr resident Donald "Jake" Dailey served more than eight years defending his country in two wars. Now he spends his days honoring fellow vets and helping them find peace at life's end through HCI Hospice Care Services' Veteran-to-Veteran program.

A former Ringgold County recorder, 95-year-old Jake was one of the organization's first Vet-to-Vet volunteers and has honored nearly 80 fellow veterans in eight southwest Iowa counties through HCI Hospice Care Service's Veteran pinning ceremonies.

He became an HCI Hospice Care Services volunteer in 2010 after the death of his beloved wife of 62 years. Jake was so grateful to the dedicated staff and volunteers who cared for her and supported his family that he felt compelled to give back to others as a hospice volunteer. In 2012 he was recognized as a Volunteer of the Year by the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa.

"The military bond is something special," says Jake, who enjoys providing companionship to vets receiving care from HCI Hospice Care Services. His understanding and compassion have enabled him to develop special relationships and share emotional moments about the toughest aspects of wartime with patients. During World War II, Jake served in the South Pacific [Page 9] as a Navy surgical assistant (1942 through 1945) and did "everything but the cutting" in caring for wounded soldiers. He returned to duty in 1951 during the Korean War, spending more than a year at Great Lakes Naval Hospital as a radiological defense and disaster technician. He served in the Navy Reserve for three and a half years.

Of his hospice volunteering, Jake says, "I truly appreciate being healthy enough to be able to meet these veterans. I receive much more than I give. I give emotional support, and I receive heart-felt pride, humility and emotion from these vets. This feeling is now more intense. It's deep and spiritual for everyone who served as a Veteran. I try to share that pride with them."

Jake, who participated in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2009, says, "The Veteran-to-Veteran program has given me a greater appreciation for all Veterans, especially those who served when I did. The stories and knowledge of those who served have given me a peaceful felling that could only come through the experience of a hospice volunteer."

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2017