Maryan Daily

Maryan Hilma Nordby Daily, 92, of Elmcrest Drive, Dallas, died Thursday after a short battle with cancer. She was born in Lancaster to Margaret Smith Nordby and Conrad Harold Nordby. She graduated from the Lankenau School for Girls in Germantown, PA, and attended Maryland College, Townsend, MD, achieving two B.A. degrees.

After living in Maryland and Texas, she returned to Philadelphia where she met and married Dr. E. John Daily. They relocated to the Wyoming Valley in 1962 to launch his private practice in optometry, and relocated to Dallas after the devastation of the Agnes flood in 1972.

Maryan is best known for launching and running a vibrant support group in Dallas for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. During the 18 years she dedicated to this, she received numerous awards for her work, wrote a book of tips for caregivers, and launched an annual candlelight vigil. Prior to that she spent 16 years as chairman of the “Nearly Old” booth at the Back Mountain Memorial Library annual auction, and as co-chair of the Antiques Committee where she collected and refinished more than 400 pieces of furniture for them to auction. She also created “Chefs and Artists” cookbook to benefit the Library, which sold over 2,000 copies and was highlighted in Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “31 Best Recipes from America’s Towns.” She was a Girl Scout Leader, a Boy Scout Den Mother, and ran several church youth groups. She was active in several PTAs, a volunteer at Nesbitt Hospital, and spent more than 20 years in various roles with the Dallas Area Federated Women’s Club. Helping others was her main goal in life, but she was also well known as a self-taught folk artist. Painting for the love of it, and for the happiness it gave others, Maryan was a prolific painter. Many homes and offices between Dallas and Philadelphia are graced by at least one plaque or item painted by her, and many were donated to be auctioned off in fundraisers to benefit local organizations.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Ernest John Daily, D.O. Surviving are her three children: Arlene Daily-Heft (spouse Jason) of Pottstown, PA; Donald Daily (spouse Diane) of Brick, NJ; and John Daily of Dallas.

Funeral will be held Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 11:00 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dallas, with The Rev. Charles Grube, pastor, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church officiating. Following the service there will be a reception at The Greens at Irem Clubhouse, Dallas. Entombment will be in Chapel Lawn Memorial Park, Dallas. Friends may call Tuesday from 10:00 AM until time of service. Arrangements are under the direction of The Richard H. Disque Funeral Home, Inc., 2940 Memorial Highway, Dallas, PA, 18612. On line condolences may be made at DisqueFuneralHome.com

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations can be made to the Meadows Nursing Home Auxiliary and the Wilkes-Barre Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.