Paul Charles Daly

After a long life characterized by purpose and the full enjoyment of his family, career and outdoor activities, Paul Charles Daly, 99, of Murrysville, died Thursday morning, Aug. 5, 2021, peacefully and in the comfort of his home. Son of the late James Bateson Daly and Emma Rachel Paxson Daly, he was born July 27, 1922, in New York City. He was preceded in death by his brother, James B. Daly Jr., and his niece, Carole Louise Ruzicka.  Surviving are his wife of 73 years, Jeanne Helen Lynch Daly; three daughters, Lynne Preisser (Chuck Watson) of Sewickley Heights, Patricia Fengler (Peter) of Hopewell Township, N.J., and Jill Daly (Jeffery Fraser) of Penn Hills; five grandchildren, Eric (Kristen Pieper) and Elise Fengler, Julia and Emma Fraser, and Alex Preisser; two great-grandchildren, Paxson and Weston Fengler; and a great-nephew and great-niece and their families.  He was a graduate of George Washington High School and the City College of New York, both in Manhattan. As a youth, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, and the city boy learned a full array of outdoor skills, including camping and the study of nature.  His college career was interrupted by war in Europe. Not able to serve in the military, he joined the Merchant Marine and from 1945-47 sailed oceans hunted by German U-boats to deliver soldiers and supplies to the European Theater. The war also took him to Australia and China as an assistant engineer on ships supplying Allied forces fighting in the Pacific.  He resumed his college career at CCNY after the war and was a proud member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He graduated in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. A love affair that lasted a lifetime began when he met his wife-to-be on a ski trip. They were married Dec. 20, 1947, in NYC, just as a historic snowstorm descended on the city, lasting into the new year.  Briefly moving for a job in Baltimore, Paul and Jeanne came to Pittsburgh in 1948 after he was hired by Westinghouse Electric. In 1955 he joined the company’s effort to build the reactor for the world’s first nuclear submarine, USS Nautilus. Paul worked at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin, until August 1987. He was devoted to his work as a fellow engineer, working on various reactor projects at Bettis.  After starting a family in Penn Hills, Paul and Jeanne moved to Murrysville in 1958. Paul was involved in church and community organizations, including the Murrysville Swim Club and various sportsman’s organizations and was an active advocate for conservation and environmental protection.  Paul took his family on annual camping adventures to national parks and seashores in the summer, their travels taking them from Maine and Yellowstone to Ocracoke, N.C., and Chibougamau, Quebec. Later, there were many days of sailing in Pennsylvanian lakes and Eastern Shore waters, landing in a favorite spot on Glendale Lake, Cambria County.  He was an avid swimmer and tennis player, teaching children and grandchildren the joys of the activities, into his 80s. He continued his love of hunting and training dogs after his retirement. He was an early member of the Penns Woods Pointing Dog Trainers.  Paul and Jeanne traveled extensively through the years, including trips to Europe and Elderhostel vacations abroad and in the U.S.  Paul brought lively conversation, encouragement and a sense of gratitude to his place at the head of the family table. Often, a celebration involved multiple tables with extended family and many of his grandchildren’s friends. He will be missed terribly, but his family wants to thank his devoted caregivers, particularly Mary Hayes, who tended to his needs near the end of life.  Family will receive visitors Wednesday, Aug. 11, from 4-6 p.m. at Hart Funeral Home, 3103 Lillian Ave., Murrysville, PA 15668. Memorial contributions may be made to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy at waterlandlife.org. www.hartfuneralhomeinc.com