It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Harold Roger Dayton, a cherished son, friend, mentor, business pioneer and partner, who left us on Friday, September 12, 2025 in Kamloops, BC.
Roger will be remembered for his unwavering kindness, gentle spirit, and quiet integrity. He was the rare person who spoke ill of no one, choosing compassion and decency in every interaction. Those who knew Roger were humbled by his steady presence and the generosity he extended to family, friends, colleagues, and the community he loved.
Roger was born in Kamloops on June 7, 1943, the only child of Harold Edward Dayton of Kamloops and Ruth Butterworth (Saxton) of Chase, BC, both of whom predeceased him.
From a young age, Roger showed endless curiosity, often collecting toads and animals to bring home.
His fascination with how things worked began early—at age 10, he acquired his first pinball machine from Mr. Cottrell, the father of his lifelong friend John Cottrell. That spark for mechanics and technology grew into a remarkable career.
He attended St. Ann’s Academy and Kamloops High School before pursuing advanced electronics at UBC and SAIT in Calgary.
After graduating, Roger worked in some fascinating places, beginning on the D.E.W. line in the Arctic, maintaining radar and communications systems vital to detecting incoming enemy bombers during the Cold War.
From there, he was drawn to the tropical warmth of the Bahamas, where he spent many years on the island of Eleuthera, ensuring the reliability of the island’s Batelco phone system (and often enjoying chocolate milk & a banana for lunch).
Many lifelong friendships were made in the Bahamas.
Returning to Canada in the early 1970s, Roger worked with maintaining the equipment for small community TV and rebroadcasting stations throughout the BC Interior, but his entrepreneurial spirit soon led him down a new path.
In 1973, he and John Cottrell co-founded Cotton Coin Co. Ltd. (a name combining “cot” from Cottrell and “ton” from Dayton).
They pioneered the amusement industry in the BC Interior by placing pinball and video games in countless local venues. Generations of kids and adults alike enjoyed games at iconic spots like Tommy’s Pinball Palace, The Challenge, and Blockbuster Arcade on Tranquille Road.
In 1990, Roger transformed this vision bigger: he opened The Fun Factor in Kamloops, a clean and welcoming entertainment facility for all ages that still stands as a testament to his technical brilliance, business vision, and lifelong commitment to fun.
He retired in 2014 so he could enjoy more free time.
Outside of business, Roger had a deep love for animals, especially his bull mastiffs and Great Danes. He was quiet, witty, funny, eccentric, and exceptionally intelligent. Pinball remained his lifelong passion, and he was known for quickly mastering games and leaving his initials HRD at the top of the scoreboards.
Stories were told of Roger’s youth, when he could play pinball on a single credit and rack up so many extra credits that, when the store closed, he was still playing — even convincing the store owner to pay him for the unused credits! A true pinball wizard!
He shared a close and enduring bond with his parents and cherished his time with them.
Roger also loved movies, amassing thousands over the years. In his retirement, he spent hours watching these films, just as he promised he would when he had the time.
In recent years, Roger lived at The Shores Retirement Residence and eventually at Pinegrove Seniors Community, where he was lovingly cared for. Special thanks to all the care teams around him over the years.
Roger was a Kamloops business pioneer for nearly 50 years and one of Kamloops’ original pinball wizards. He will be remembered for different things to each person, but broadly for his quirky, gentle nature, kindness, honesty, and a love of animals.
An informal Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at The Fun Factor Fun Centre — 910 Tranquille Road, Kamloops.
In true Roger fashion, there will be refreshments (he loved good food!), free pinball for everyone, and plenty of opportunity to share stories and memories together.
Friends are encouraged to share memories, stories, and photos on his permanent memorial page at everloved.com/life-of/harold-
In lieu of flowers, please honour Roger by being kind, helping others, and living with the same warmth and decency he shared with everyone he met.
Condolences may be sent to the family from
www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com