Robert Lee (R.L.) Dillon
1922-2013
Robert Lee (R.L.) Dillon died February 18, 2013 in Amarillo, Texas at the age of 90. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Walsh Baptist Church, with Rev. Russ Matzke officiating.
R.L. was born in Haviland, Kansas on December 1, 1922. He was the second of 11 children born to Bill and Nila Dillon. After attending Glendale and Richards schools, he graduated from Walsh High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and served as a radio operator in Austria during World War II. After being discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1946, he returned to Walsh to farm. After 12 years of farming, he began work as a rural letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. He delivered mail on a rural route outside of Walsh from 1956 until 1979, when he moved to Liberal, Kansas and delivered a rural route there. He retired from the postal service with a total of 35 years of service. He also drove a school bus in Walsh for many years.
R.L. married Thelma Silvey on March 10, 1944. After her death, he married Llyn Selman on May 28, 1971.
He was a founding member of Walsh Baptist Church. He served as a deacon and church treasurer, and was active in Baptist churches all his life. He enjoyed wood working, square dancing, gardening, camping and fishing, playing cards and pool, and was a puzzle maker and solver extraordinaire. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and treasured the memory of seeing a World Series game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Browns in 1944.
R.L. was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Thelma and one son, Norville Gene; three sisters, Marie Houser, Violet Hickey, and Zella Westerman; and one greatgrandchild, Mercy Bagwell.
Survivors include his wife, Llyn; 7 children, Merlin Dillon and wife Beth of Monte Vista, Colorado; Danny Selman of Eagle Nest, New Mexico; Ed Selman and wife Kay of Wildorado, Texas; Mary Jo Burns of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Rhonda Warren and husband Scott of Shawnee, Oklahoma; Ronnie Selman and wife Lesa of Walsh, Colorado; and Sonja Mugler and husband Jeff of St. Peters, Missouri; 4 sisters, Veda Taylor, Nina May Wellmaker, Darlene Ansel-Symes, and Retta Blodgett; 3 brothers, Eugene Dillon, Billy Dillon and Gerald Dillon; 18 grandchildren and 23 greatgrandchildren.
R.L. will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Memorial contributions may be made to Walsh Baptist Church in lieu of flowers.