Robert B. (Bob) Dayton Jr. of Williamsport, Pa. died Dec. 31 at the Gatehouse of Divine Providence Hospital in Williamsport. He was 93.

Born April 24, 1927 in Williamsport, he was a son of the late Robert B. Dayton Sr. and Marion (Hebden) Dayton.

He attended Williamsport High School but left in 1945, his junior year, to join the Merchant Marine where he served as a radio officer on cargo ships carrying military supplies to various ports in Europe and later bringing troops back home. He obtained his training in radio communications at Williamsport Tech, a division of the Williamsport High School where a special department was set up to provide this specialized training at night after normal class hours.

After leaving the Merchant Marine in 1947, he attended Dickinson Seminary, now Lycoming College, for his GED. From there he attended the University of Michigan and obtained a degree in marine engineering and naval architecture. Upon graduation he went to work for the Electric Boat company division of General Dynamics in Groton, Conn., in the design department working on the design of the first nuclear submarine, Nautilus.  

After about six months, Bob was drafted and spent the next two years in the Army stationed at Fort Eustis in Virginia. After leaving the Army he returned to Electric Boat and spent the next 10 years working on nuclear submarines. During this time he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a master’s degree in marine engineering and naval architecture.

Bob and his family returned home to Williamsport in 1977 and formed Dayton Engineering, doing consulting work for a company in the Washington D.C. area and land surveying and engineering locally.

He worked as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, building new houses in the Williamsport area. Much later, while in his 80s and 90s, he joined a group of older men known as the over the hill gang, building furniture for sale at the Habitat Restore. The money from these sales helped fund the building of new houses.

Over the years Bob and his wife bought and renovated over 14 houses. Many of them they lived in while raising their family and working on weekends.

He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Rosemary (Berkheiser) Dayton; two daughters, Abby A. Armstrong of Oak Bluffs, and Elizabeth A. Dayton, of Columbus, Ohio; a son, Jeffrey R. Dayton, of Montoursville, Pa.; and three grandchildren.

Services will be held privately. Donations can be made to a charity of choice. Arrangements are under the care of the Knight-Confer Funeral Home (KnightConferFuneralHome.com).