OLD TOWN – John Peter Daly, 88, died Jan. 5, 2012, of natural causes at a Bangor nursing home. He was born July 29, 1923, in Inwood, Long Island, N.Y., the younger and second son of John Joseph and Mary Monahan Daly.
His family moved to White Plains, N.Y., when he was an infant and he was raised there, attending local schools, and graduating from White Plains High School where he had the enjoyment of participating in state level basketball championship competition. John served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, as a propeller specialist and aerial engineer. The bulk of his service was seen at Burton Wood Air Depot No. 2 in England, where he served for nearly three years. After his military service, John returned to New York where he followed a high school passion for working with wood and pursued a career as a master cabinetmaker and antique furniture restorer. With a partner, Daniel Ciliberti, John began a business known as Village Cabinet Shop, Armonk, N.Y. For 32 years, after relocating to Mount Kisco, N.Y., John and Danny repaired, restored, designed and built custom furniture for the residents of Westchester County and their reputation spread far and wide. One very satisfied customer who had some expensive English antiques repaired at their shop enthused that “Lloyd’s of London knew what they were doing when they recommended” the shop. In 1958, with good friends, John purchased a piece of property on the Maine coast, near Belfast, and enjoyed many summer and fall vacations at Rugged Rafters. In 1984, John moved to Maine from New York where he and his wife, Nonni, enjoyed retirement and a lot of time involved in University of Maine athletics. He especially enjoyed working as the penalty timekeeper for UMaine men’s ice hockey games for 16 years. He continued to do some smaller furniture repair jobs, along with caning and rushing woven work, into his retirement.
His parents; brother, Jerome; and nephew, John Joseph of East Hampton, Conn., predeceased John. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Norinne “Nonni” Hilchey Daly of Old Town; stepson, Thomas K. Fitzgibbon and his family of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and a very special niece, Donna Daly of East Hampton, Conn., and her family. In addition, he leaves a special son, Guy Perron and his family of Bangor; and many former athletes from the University of Maine who became close to the Daly family during their years in school. John would want to thank his physician, Dr. Allan D. Currie, and his medical assistant, Patti Spearing, for nearly 30 years of caring attention and all of the staff at Maine Veterans Home, Bangor, for making his last days ones of comfort and care.
At John’s request, there will be no visitation or memorial service. For those who would like to remember John in a special way, donations to the activities fund of Maine Veterans Home, 44 Hogan Road, Bangor, ME 04401, would be something of which he would approve.