Eugene Harvey Dillon was born  at home near Richards Co on Feb 5th, 1925.  He was the 4th of 11 children born to Bill Dillon and Nila Coulter Dillon.  Eugene passed away April 15, 2018 at the Sharmar Care Center in Pueblo, Co.

Gene was an avid arrowhead hunter and could throw a mean yo-yo. He enjoyed the harmonica. He had a long trek to the Glendale elementary school, but fortunately had an old pony he dearly loved to help get him there. But IN FACT, there was NO love lost between the two and he had some funny stories to tell about that old horse.

Eugene attended Walsh High School and graduated in 1943.  He volunteered and entered the Army December 1943.  His induction papers listed his prior experience as 7 years of driving trucks and tractors. This meant he started at age 11 .  This experience worked to his advantage as he was assigned to drive trucks in New Caledonia. Along with his military duties, he found time to become a serious ping pong player.   He was honorably discharged April 21st 1947.   He received the following awards:  the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, the American Theater Ribbon, the WWII Victory medal, Meritorious Service Unit Award, and the Good Conduct Medal.

One summer, Eugene, RL and LP McKinley picked peaches on the western slope. Gene joked that he probably ate as many as he was paid for.

After his military service, he married Catherine Ballinger September 15, 1949, at Clayton, NM. Their friends Betty Jo Darity and Ervin Lee Hancock served as their attendants and witnesses.    Four children were born to this union: Cathy Jeanne, Stanley Wayne, Kendall Ray, and Royce Eric.

Gene served the post office for 30 years in Walsh before his transfer to Pueblo. He then worked 11 years in Pueblo before retiring in 1988.  He was a legend among his fellow postal workers for his ability to make fast and accurate math calculations. He enjoyed having someone write a long and large addition problem, then beating that person as he figured the problem while they did it on an adding machine.  His son in law said he was born before his time, as he would have been a computer whiz.

In his early years, Eugene was a talented baseball player. He played with the Walsh Legionaires as they traveled through Colorado, Kansas, Texas and New Mexico playing about 30 games per season. His children think he taught them to throw a ball before they could walk.  Gene was competitive in most aspects of his life, including baseball, horseshoes, bowling, golf and even gardening where he competed with his neighbor, Clifford Wellman, to see who could grow the biggest tomato.

Bowling was also a big part of Eugene's life, a passion which he shared with his wife, Catherine, and passed on to his children. In later years, he took up golfing with equal enthusiasm.

He enjoyed keeping years of statistics on college football and used those to play the football contests in the newspapers which he won several times. He taught his son how to pick winners and one time, the Pueblo Cheiftain did a story on how "brothers" Eric and Gene were such competitors in those contests. He also kept statistics on his niece, Delores', barrel racing career.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, his son Eric in 1989, 3 sisters: Marie Houser, Violet Hickey, Zella Westerman, and one brother, R.L. Dillon.   He leaves to mourn his passing, his wife of 68 plus years, Catherine, his children: Cathy (Curt) Clifton, Stan (Carolyn)Dillon and Kendall, his grandchildren, Ty and Kate also siblings Veda Taylor, Bill Dillon, Nina Wellmaker, Darlene Ansel-Symes, Retta Blodgett and Gerald Lynn Dillon and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Eugene's funeral service will be held on April 18 at 2pm at the Walsh Baptist Church. Interment will follow at the Walsh Cemetery. Services are provided by Dykes Funeral Home in Walsh, Co. Memorial contributions may be made to the Walsh Fire Dept.