- Date Of Birth: January 13, 1931
- Date Of Death: April 20, 2016
- State: Texas
Mary R. Dillon, 85, of Salado and formerly of Killeen passed away peacefully on April 20, 2016 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Mary was born on January 13, 1931 in Houston, Texas to J.C. Raley and Edna Follis Raley. She was raised in Madisonville, Texas and graduated from high school there. Mary attended business school and worked in the Houston area as an accountant until 1960. In September of 1960, Mary married Otis C. “Matt” Dillon. She and Matt moved to Ft. Hood that year as he followed his career in the Army. The two were married for 32 years before his death in November of 1992. While at Ft. Hood, Mary worked for the Department of Defense as an accountant and, while working, was fortunate to be able to travel with Matt to his various assignments around the world. She retired from the Department of Defense in 1980, but continued to work as an independent book keeper and tax preparer until 2015.
Mary loved her family dearly and was always busy cooking for them and creating crafts. She taught her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren the value of time spent with family creating seasonal decorations, food, and gifts, and the importance of things made by hand and given from the heart. There was never a moment that Mary did not reach out when family and friends needed help, and she always had time to join others when there was a celebration to be enjoyed.
Mary was a very proud member of Tina’s “Granny Dancers” for more than 20 years. She often created the hand sewn costumes worn during the performances and recitals that the group performed around the state each year. The dancers even took part in a stage performance one year for Carnival Cruise’s during a trip through the Caribbean. Mary showed great compassion for everyone and everything she was involved with, and later became a role model for courage and strength during her 25 year battle with cancer, fighting to her last breath, never letting the disease defeat her spirit.
Mrs. Dillon was preceded in death by her husband Matt, her parents, a sister Billie Raley Hickman, and brothers Alan “Skippy” Raley and Walton “Scooter” Raley.
She is survived by her son Alan Dillon and his wife Lisa, son James Dillon and his wife Anne, daughter Susan Young, granddaughters Shelly Combs and husband Tim, Kimberly Rogers and husband Jerad, Brittni Dillon, Rebecca Dillon, Emily Dillon, and Shelby Young. Also surviving Mrs. Dillon are great grandchildren Kaitlyn and Dillon Combs, Rylee and Bryce Rogers, as well as many nieces and nephews.
