In Memoriam, 0921 COBJ, Vol. 50, No. 8 Pg. 64
| Position | Vol. 50, 8 [Page 64] |
August, 2021
In Memoriam
Gary Fleming Dalley
December 10, 1939—June 29, 2021
Gary Fleming Dailey, 82, passed away on June 29 after a long battle with congestive heart disease and myelodysplastic syndrome. Gary grew up with his three older brothers in Storm Lake, Iowa, graduating from high school in 1957. He married his high school sweetheart, Margaret, and they attended and graduated from the University of Iowa.
From the time he was a teenager, Gary wanted to be a lawyer. He started law school at William Mitchell in Minnesota and transferred to the University of Denver, one of the only other night law schools in the country. He worked at a bank trust department during the day, attended classes at night, and obtained his JD in 1966.
In the early years, Gary worked for the Public Defender's Office and Legal Services. Throughout his career, he remained dedicated to helping the underserved and the "little guy." He soon opened his own office and built this practice one client at a time, during a time when many lawyers represented clients in multiple areas. His practice included criminal, landlord and tenant, corporate and general business, liquor licensing, real estate, estate planning, probate, domestic, school law, personal injury, civil litigation, and racehorse law. Gary represented family members for 50 years, many of whom continued to contact the office asking for his assistance long after he retired.
Gary always remembered the established lawyers who helped him when he first came to town. He also had many fond memories of the young attorneys he helped throughout the years. Gary never wavered from his client-centered practice. If a client came to his office or phoned, he would drop whatever he was doing to address the client's concerns. He believed in direct communication and did not communicate with clients or lawyers via email.
Gary's passion for law was rivaled only by his love of horse racing. He bought his first horse in 1962 and decided Margaret would train the horse to race at Park Jefferson, South Dakota. Thus the Dailey Racing Stable partnership of Gary and Margaret was launched. Gary's interest in bloodlines and young horse development continued throughout his life, and at times, competed with his interest in the law. He purchased, raised, and raced quarter horses and...
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