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Melvin Eugene "Gene" Dillon

Melvin Eugene "Gene" Dillon

1936 - 2014

Melvin "Gene" Dillon, 78, of Bemidji, MN died Monday, September 22, 2014 at Neilson Place, Bemidji.

Memorial Services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 27, 2014 at Evangelical Covenant Church, Bemidji with Pastor Dean Nelson officiating. A Time of Sharing will be 5-7 p.m., Friday, September 26, 2014 at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home. Family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Bemidji.

Honorary bearers will be the crew members of the USS Oriskany.

Urn bearers will be his grandchildren Jon Black, Dan Trepanier, Katie Trepanier, Nicholas Black, Joe Trepanier, Charlie Dillon, Jack Dillon and Luke Dillon.

Melvin Eugene Dillon was born March 4, 1936 in Spring Fork, MO to Charles and Viola (Staus) Dillon. He grew up in the Cole Camp area where he attended school. Melvin served in the United States Navy for 20 years, being stationed at various bases during that time. On November 9, 1957 he married Darlene Sunde in Bemidji, MN. Gene retired from the US Navy in 1973 and the family moved to Bemidji to a hobby farm in Northern Township where he raised feeder pigs and gardened. Together they raised 9 foster children. They owned and operated the L&L Drive In at Redby, MN for 18 years. Gene coached the Bemidji Lions age 13-16 year old baseball team for 9 years. He served on the Bemidji School Board for 25 years. Gene was a member of the American legion, VFW, Gideons, Retired Military Club and Evangelical Covenant Church. He loved cutting wood, mowing lawns and making bird feeders and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Darlene Dillon of Bemidji; daughters, Anne (Steve) Trepanier of Bemidji and Brenda (Roger) Jarvi of Bemidji; son, Mark (Sara) Dillon Stationed in Seoul, South Korea; special family friend, Harvey Smith of Bemidji; 8 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; brothers, Walter Dillon of Sedalia, MO, Stanley (Sue Kohues) Dillon of Ionia, MO and Mike (Mary) Dillon of Sedalia, MO; sisters, Mabel (Donald) Bockelman of Sedalia, MO, Delores (George) Perkins of Sedalia, MO, Mary (Bob) Jones of Sedalia, MO, Christine (Jim) Perry of Sedalia, MO and Louise (Melvin) Poundstone of Sedalia, MO and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles & Viola Dillon; brother, John Dillon and sister, Stella Smasal.

Memorials preferred to the Gideons or Heart Transplant Unit Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

 

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