David Matthew Dillon passed away in the caring hands of his Hospice support team on March 18, 2022. He is survived by his family: daughters Deby Wiley (Gary) and Cyndi Hovis (Bill); grandchildren, Sarah Williams (Jon), Paul Wiley (Geri), Leah Bierwerth (Guy), Joel Wiley (Emily), Samantha Hovis, and Clark Hovis; and great-grandchildren, Olivia, Madeleine, Minte, Ellington, Ethan, Benjamin, Joshua, Addison, Hudson and Gabriel.

David was born on August 13, 1929, in Longview, Washington, to Haradon and Corinne McKillip Dillon. As a toddler, his father passed away suddenly, so he was raised by his mother, grandmother (Oma), and his two older siblings, Haradon and Peggy, in Olympia, Washington.

As a young boy, he had many jobs. He rode through the streets of Olympia, starting out as a paperboy, and then at age 12, he took a job with Western Union, delivering telegrams around the Capitol Building and throughout the City. In order to land his position at Western Union, he lied about his age (saying he was 14, when he was actually 12). His first day on the job was the same day as Peggy’s high school graduation, which he missed much to his mother’s dismay. He was always eager to help his family out and work as much as he could. Other jobs included working at a movie theater, announcing football games with his older brother Harry, and installing trenches as a firefighter in the summers.

After graduating from Olympia High School, he started college at St. Martin’s University, where he continued to call sports games and work on radio programs. During Christmas time, David was playing bass at a small DeMolay and Rainbow Girls party, where he met his soon-to-be wife, Carol. They had graduated from high school together but had not crossed paths until that evening. They both continued their education separately, but got engaged right before graduating from college. One year before finishing his bachelor’s degree, he transferred to the University of Washington. Upon registration at the new university, he haphazardly decided to change his major to Sociology in an effort to graduate as quickly as he could. In June of 1950, David and Carol graduated from college on the same day, and David elected to go to Carol’s graduation from Oregon State University instead of his own. Carol and David were married in August of 1950 on David’s birthday. He always boasted that marrying Carol was the best birthday present he ever received.

Following their wedding day, David and Carol moved to Tenino, Washington, where he started working at a small bank. The couple eventually moved back to their hometown of Olympia, Washington, where they had their first daughter, Deby. Due to David’s hard work at the bank, the couple moved to San Francisco where David got a new position, and they had their second daughter, Melanie.

After receiving a promotion, Carol and David moved to Humboldt County working in the Arcata, Eureka and Scotia branches of Crocker Bank. They welcomed their third daughter, Cyndi, while Dave was working in Scotia. David was known for his knowledge in the lumber industry, where he managed many accounts with large clients. Throughout the years, David traveled the Pacific Northwest extensively, supporting his clients, both large and small. He was known for being a stickler for the rules and ran a tight ship at the bank, but his attention to detail allowed the bank to stay afloat and his career to progress.

In 1966, the family moved to Arcata, and David received a promotion to Division Manager at Crocker Bank. He continued to travel extensively and manage banks in the Humboldt area. He would fly weekly to San Francisco for years for meetings to give updates on the divisions that he managed. At this time, he became heavily involved in civic organizations, first starting in Kiwanis and eventually moving in to the Rotary Club. In support of his daughters, David was also an active leader in the local 4H club and a volunteer at their many swim meets. He was always very passionate about giving back to his community by volunteering in his spare time. He was a valued board member on numerous business, community, and educational organizations.

In 1976, Carol and David moved to Eureka and David joined the Eureka Rotary Club taking many leadership positions. At this time, the couple began hosting exchange students through the Rotary International Youth program. David also became the Youth Exchange Officer for all students in the Northern California District. He made a huge impact by opening his home to students from all over the world and providing support throughout their stays in the Humboldt and Northern California District area. Through these exchanges, David and Carol developed deep relationships with other Rotary clubs throughout the world, leading to many visits with friends in Australia and South Africa. As the exchange students grew up into professionals and had their own families, they would come back and visit their hosts. These visits made lasting impressions on David as he could see how his time had helped these students expand their worldview while also making the world a much smaller place. He also became the District Governor for Rotary in 1991-1992.

After retiring, Carol and David traveled all over the world. They loved frequenting London where they attended countless musical theatre performances. They traveled extensively in the South Pacific, Europe, and Africa. They would make annual visits to Kauai where they enjoyed sunrises on the beach and casual walks through the gardens. Annual cross-country treks to visit their children and grandchildren were a must, and they tried to travel a different route each time. As soon as David would arrive, he would tell winding tales about growing up in Olympia and the many jobs he had. It was always amazing to hear the level of detail he could recall from his childhood, being able to recall specific outfits people wore and the food that was shared. He had a crystal clear memory, and truly enjoyed painting a vivid picture for all of his listeners. As the grandchildren grew up, David and Carol never missed a graduation or major milestone. He and Carol were always there to share in these special times, providing sound advice to his family, showing his care by being a present and loving father and grandfather.

Besides traveling, David was an avid sports fan, history buff, and reader. He also participated in local church events and continued attending Rotary meetings through 2020. He aligned his life around the Oakland A’s baseball schedule in the summer and San Francisco 49ers games in the fall and winter. He was also a huge Golden State Warriors fan, surprising his grandkids when he announced that basketball was always his favorite sport. (We could’ve sworn it was baseball!).

David will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and community. His philanthropic and worldly heart touched many people throughout the years, both in the local Humboldt area and abroad. His detailed stories, wise insight, and steadfast nature are the legacies he leaves behind. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either The Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation, P.O. Box 123, Cutten, CA 95534; sequoiaparkzoo.net/donate or The Clarke Museum 240 E Street, Eureka, CA 95501; clarkemuseum.org/donations.

The family would like to thank Larona Farnum and all of the workers at Timber Ridge in McKinleyville for the loving care that was given to David. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday April 23, 2022 at the First Presbyterian Church, 819 15th Street, Eureka.

###

The obituary above was submitted on behalf of David Dillon’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.