Vivian S. Dayton, age 95, of rural Adams County, passed away on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger.


Cremation has taken place; a memorial service and celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, June 19, 2010 at Spencer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lemmon. Pastor Florence Hoff will officiate with inurnment in Greenhill Cemetery.


Vivian Sophia Kempton was born June 6, 1914, at Keldron, SD, to Sanford S. and Sophia (Magnuson) Kempton. When Vivian was ten, her mother died, and her older sisters helped to raise her. She attended elementary school in Morristown and graduated from Thunder Hawk High School. For a short time, she studied nursing in Minneapolis but had to give up her studies and return home. Years later, after her oldest daughter graduated from high school, mother and daughter together attended Dickinson State College for two years, and Vivian earned her teaching certificate. For twelve years she taught in several rural schools in Adams and Hettinger Counties, ND.


On July 13, 1935, in Hettinger, Vivian was united in marriage with Adon W. Dayton. The Daytons farmed and ranched north of Lemmon in Spring Butte Township, Adams County, ND, for many years. Adon passed away on December 20, 1982. Vivian continued to live in her home on the farm until five days before her death.


In their younger years, Vivian and Adon enjoyed playing cards and dancing. She loved music and even in her early nineties could be heard playing the piano for her own enjoyment. In fact, at the age of 92, she treated herself to a new piano. She was an avid book and newspaper reader. She kept up on national news and politics and had strong views on many subjects, including the most recent Presidential election. With age, a whimsical sense of humor surfaced. In later years, she was happy to visit with her grandchildren, grandchildren-in-law, and great grandchildren and share stories about her early life and the history of the area.


Grateful to have shared her life are two daughters and two sons-in-law, Verna Burton, Spring Valley, OH; Myrna and Cal Nikont, Lemmon, SD; Dean LaDue, Keldron, SD; one son and two daughters-in-law, Lowell and Dorothy Dayton, rural Adams County, ND; Julie Dayton, Lander, WY; 10 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and one sister-in-law, Pearl Kempton, Satellite Beach, FL.


Vivian was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one son, Jerome Dayton; one daughter, Jean LaDue; one granddaughter, Ronna LaDue; six sisters, Fern Benson, Iris Storvick, Amy Kurtz, Evalyne Hoisington, Viola Muth, and Esther Ploog; and four brothers, Oliver, Wesley, Sidney, and Norman Kempton.