Dennis M. Dailey

Dr. Dennis M. Dailey of Lawrence, KS, age 84, passed away at home on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born to Hazel and Floyd Dailey on September 30, 1938, in Fergus Falls, MN. Dennis received his Bachelor’s of Social Work from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, where he met his wife in the student union playing bridge. After finishing his Bachelor’s, he worked as a senior probation officer in Ramsey County, MN. He went on to pursue his Masters of Social Work at the University of Missouri where his first daughter, Lisa, joined the family. After returning to St. Paul he worked at Family Service of America. Shortly after, Dennis and Judy welcomed their second daughter, Amy, to the world. In 1966, Dennis enrolled in the doctoral program at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, earning his PhD in Social Work in 1971.

Dr. Dailey taught human sexuality courses for 36 years in the School of Social Work at the University of Kansas. Throughout his time as a professor, Dr. Dailey inspired countless students and colleagues to imagine sexuality as a complex and healthy part of everyday life. He is the author of the Circles of Sexuality, a positive model defining human sexuality that is still used broadly by sex educators, academics, and therapists. While teaching, Dr. Dailey started a private therapy practice and continued to consult with other practitioners into his retirement. He was certified as a Sex Educator, Sex Therapist and Supervisor by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). Dr. Dailey was a prolific writer in areas ranging from human sexuality to local Lawrence history, and was published numerous times. During his career, Dr. Dailey won many awards but remained proudest of his University of Kansas HOPE Award as it was voted on and awarded by the KU senior class. After retiring in 2005, he was named a Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas. Recently, he was the inaugural recipient of the Washington University Brown School of Social Work Dennis Dailey Distinguished Sexual Health Educator award, named in his honor.

Dennis enjoyed a long retirement spending time with his grandchildren, cheering on the Jayhawks at KU men’s basketball games, camping on the North Shore of Lake Superior, and continuing to be a lifelong learner. He especially enjoyed researching local Civil War history. This interest was sparked by living for nearly 40 years in the historic Miller House, which was valued for its connection to Quantrill’s Raid and the Underground Railroad.

Dennis was a loving son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his wife Judy Brown Dailey, brother James Dailey, daughters Lisa (Jeff) Dehon and Amy (Tad) Cooper, and grandchildren Wes, Max, Grace, and Jeff. He will also be remembered by his loving extended family, his friends, and the countless students, teachers, and community members whose lives he impacted.

There will be a memorial service at 2:00 on March 4th at the First United Methodist Church, downtown Lawrence.

In celebration of Dennis’ loving spirit, please make any donations to an organization of your choice that seeks to make the world a better place, such as: VNA, Planned Parenthood, Southern Poverty Law Center, or Lawrence Humane Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.