Dermot Daly

Dermot Daly of Roxbury passed away on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. He was 43. A natural in mathematics, his death tragically defies statistical odds: his younger brother Brendan died less than eight weeks ago. Both were killed in motor vehicle accidents. They were soulmates to the bitter end.

Born in New York City smack in the middle of what would become a large Irish family of seven, Dermot grew up in Fairfield and Newtown, Connecticut, submerged in beautiful countryside which he explored on bike rides tailed by his dog Rosalita.

His love of the outdoors led him and his older brother Paul to start a landscaping company, which they operated throughout Dermot’s formative years. He then followed his brother Brendan into the world of horses, joining Dandy Products of New Canaan where they made custom padding for show horses and sports stadiums.

Dermot moved with the company to Ohio where he lived with its owners, Dan and Colleen Reed. He was central to building the foundation of what became their very successful business. But more importantly, he and Dan developed a friendship that sustained Dermot throughout his life.

In time, Dermot’s family drew him back to Connecticut where he worked with Don Paul Mechanical, earning a 5-year apprenticeship with local 777 Steamfitters and Plumbers. Throughout his apprenticeship, he worked alongside Master Plumber Tommy Bresnan. The two were inseparable as Tommy guided Dermot to become the very best in the field.

Dubbed a “walking calculator” by fellow pipefitters, Dermot developed a skill set unique in its range. He became an exceptional plumber, pipefitter, welder, mechanic and fabricator in his professional life. But it was how he channeled those skills into his personal life where he really shined.

He was meticulous and his appreciation for detail was on full display in the Harley Davidson Shovelhead he built from scratch. The combination of the bike’s flames and his wild Irish hair literally stopped traffic.

Dermot was 6’3 and quiet, which might have been intimidating were it not that he was a momma’s boy to the bone, a title he wore with pride. In fact, outside of work, pride was never a concern. He was shamelessly schooled in basketball by his 10 year-old niece Alice, and completely at ease being called Petunia by his 12 year-old nephew Jimmy.

Dermot is survived by his beloved mother Alice, his brother Paul (wife Maggie) and his sisters Brigid Farmer (husband Jimmy), Alice, Keelin and Mary Daly, nephews Daniel and Luke Daly and Jimmy Farmer and his favorite niece Alice Farmer. He is predeceased by his father Dermot and his brother Brendan.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Dermot’s honor to Little Britches Therapeutic Riding Program. Little Britches is an organization founded 39 years ago that has grown into a deeply nurturing program with the help of his aunt, Stuart Daly, and his sisters Mary and Alice. It is a place where Dermot volunteered and where hundreds of people with disabilities partner with horses in the beautiful town of Roxbury, a place Dermot absolutely loved. https://www.littlebritchesct.org/

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, August 21 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Rt. 317 Roxbury, CT (GPS: 24 Church St, Roxbury, CT 06783)  at 12:00 PM. Burial will follow mass at Resurrection Cemetery, 208 S. Main Street Newtown, CT.

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