COL (R) Dalton D. Eggert, age 93, died peacefully at home in Colorado Springs surrounded by his family, on March 3, 2015.
Born on July 2, 1921 in Sardinia, New York, to Floyd Edward Eggert and Helen Ida Hale Eggert, he attended Hutchinson Central and Lafayette High Schools in Buffalo, New York, graduating in 1938. On May 26, 1951, he married Agnes Terese Dal Pra in Rockford, Illinois. They were married 63 years.
COL Eggert was a 35-year U.S. Army veteran, enlisting in 1940. He served around the globe: as a Signal Corps officer in the China-Burma-India Theater during WWII; as a U.S. advisor with the French military in Indochina in 1955 and with the Adjutant General Corps in Uijongbu, South Korea, in 1967, during the USS Pueblo incident. He was also assigned with his family at Ft. Gordon, GA; Presidio of Monterey, CA; Ft. Huachuca, AZ; the Pentagon; Fontainebleau, France; Stuttgart and Heidelberg, Germany; Izmir, Turkey and Ft. Devens, MA. He retired as a Colonel in 1975 and relocated to Tucson, AZ. Subsequently, he and his wife lived in Pensacola, FL, and finally settled in Colorado Springs, CO in 1996.
COL Eggert attended the University of Chicago, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Arizona, and graduated with a BA degree from the University of Maryland. He earned a MBA from George Washington University. He was a lifetime member of the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJIs) Fraternity and Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church as well as Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Colorado Springs.
After the military, Dalton had a variety of endeavors: door-to-door census taker for the U.S. Census Bureau, Tucson, AZ; financial consultant for George S. May International; Senior Instructor, JROTC, Mission High School, San Francisco, and Business Manager, Finical & Dombrowski, Architects and Engineering, Tucson, AZ.
COL Eggert will be especially remembered for his love and dedication to his Faith, his family and his country. He had a keen sense of purpose, was hard-working, venturesome and enjoyed traveling, especially in Europe. He had a fondness for the French language, speaking it until his last days. He appreciated the art of hospitality and valued close friends, a good meal and a fine scotch.
He is survived by his wife, Agnes; his children Steven Eggert (Karen) of Woodbridge, VA; Anita McCowen (Gary Kris) of Colorado Springs, CO; David Eggert of Colorado Springs, CO; Jon Eggert (Veronica) of Pueblo, CO; as well as his daughter-in-law Hyun Suk Oh of Colorado Springs, CO. His grandchildren: Nathanael, Zachary and Kristopher Eggert; James and Mary McCowen; Olivia, JohnPaul and Mike Eggert and Erika Eggert. COL Eggert was preceded in death by his granddaughters, Joy Ada and Victoria Anne Eggert.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 12th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Shrine of Remembrance, Colorado Springs, followed by the Rosary at 7:00 pm. A Requiem Mass is planned for 9:30 am, Friday, March 13th at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 626 Aspen Drive, Colorado Springs, followed by a luncheon reception in the Church hall. Burial with full military honors will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, CO. Relatives and friends are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in COL Eggert’s name may be made to the charity of your choice.
Special thanks to Interim Healthcare and Hospice for their help and support.