NORWOOD — Daniel passed away Monday, June 23, 2008 from injuries sustained in a car accident on Dallas Divide Highway on his way home to Norwood, Colo. Daniel was born March 18, 1923 in Norwood to Robert Edison and Robert (Smith) Dillon. He spent his childhood in Cortez, but moved to Imbler, Ore. for a short time then to Craig, Colo. where he graduated from Moffat County High School in Craig in 1942. Daniel attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins for a year, then returned to Norwood and met Ada Merryman at the Lone Cone Cafe. They were married July 21, 1943 in Montrose, Colo. The couple lost two babies, then adopted three boys and a girl. They lost their oldest son in a car wreck at 21 years of age. Ada preceded him in death in 2002 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo.
In 1945, Daniel bought a ranch at Norwood to become a cattleman and “learned it takes a good job to support such a venture.” He owned and operated a meat processing plant in Norwood for many years.
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His many years of community service include: 62 years with Boy Scouts of America; 42 years member of Western Colorado Council B.S.A.; 39 years member Norwood Chamber of Commerce; 12 years president of Norwood Chamber of Commerce; 60 years member of Norwood Methodist Church; 26 years member of Rocky Mountain Methodist Conference; 20 years San Miguel County Representative (Club 20); 25 years San Miguel County Representative (Region 10); 26 years Colorado Hunter Education Instructor for Division of Wildlife; 13 years custodian for Norwood schools; 33 years Colorado Athletic Official: Football, Basketball, Baseball; 12 years owner of a meat processing plant, complete operation, domestic and wild; two years managed a purebred Hereford ranch at Hayden, Colo.
He retired from the school district in 1986 and has never missed a day of work since.
Daniel took Western Colorado Scouts to National Jamboree in 1960 held at Colorado Springs and in 1977 to Moraine Park, Pa.—37 boys each place. “Our dream, Ada and I, was to have a boys’ ranch, ‘similar to Boys Ranch,’ but it never seemed to work, but the positive in our life over-shadowed the negative so we had a happy life.”
Prior to his death, Daniel was the Senior Citizen Director. He also played the town sheriff in a recent theater production in Norwood and played Santa Claus for many years in addition to reading stories at the day care facility in Norwood.
Survivors include his children, Dawn Dillon of Grand Junction, Matt Dillon of Newton, Kan., and Wayne Dillon of Grand Junction, Colo; two brothers, Dave Dillon of Craig, Colo, Dennis Dillon of Odessa, Texas; and a sister, Beverly Ross of Vernal, Utah; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Daniel was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ada; six brothers; one sister; daughter, Ruth Jean Dillon; and one son, Ronnie Dillon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Daniel Dillon Memorial Fund, c/o U. S. Bank, in memory of Daniel Dillon, 1640 Grand Ave., P. O. Box 508, Norwood, CO 81423. A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2008, at 12:30 p.m., at the Norwood High School Gymnasium in Norwood, Colo. with Pastor Clint Perry officiating. Viewing will be held from 11:30 a.m. to service time. Burial will follow the service at Norwood Cemetery in Norwood. Arrangements are under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory, 802 E. Main, Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.
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