Carroll William Dillon, 84, a longtime Sedro-Woolley resident and businessman, passed away on Saturday, November 15, 2008 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon.
Carroll was born on February 16, 1924 in Yakima, Washington, the son of James O. & Jesse Stuart Dillon, members of the Yakima Valley pioneer Dillon family.
While growing up in Yakima he was active in scouting, earning his Eagle Scout award and was active in school sports at Naches High School where he graduated from in 1942. He then attended Yakima Junior College and Washington State College.
During WW II Carroll served his country in the U.S. Army Air Corps and one of his missions was to fly over Japan dropping leaflets to warn the Japanese people to ‘get out of town’ before the atom bomb was dropped to end WW II.
After his discharge from the service he returned to his studies at Washington State College pursuing a degree in business and finance. While at WSC he met Beverly Longmire and they were united in marriage in Naches, WA on June 20, 1948, celebrating 60 years of marriage this past June.
Carroll transferred his studies to the University of Washington where he earned his degree in 1949 and he and his small family made their home in Ellensburg, WA.
In 1959 they moved to Sedro-Woolley where Carroll opened Valley Auto Supply and in 1979 opened Concrete Auto Parts. He retired in 1990, selling the business to his son, Jim.
Carroll was a member and Past Master of the Burlington United Lodge #93 F.&A.M.; Past Patron of the Cyrene Chapter, Order of Eastern Star; a member of the Nile Shrine in Seattle; a charter member of the Skagit Sportsman Training Assoc; a 10 year member of the Skagit County Parks & Recreation Board; a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies and member and past president of the Northwest Federation Mineralogical Association as well as past president of the Skagit Rock & Gem Club.
Besides being an active rock & gem collector Carroll also enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly at the family home in Sedro-Woolley. His children and their spouses, James R. & Sharon Dillon of Sedro-Woolley, Carole Cary & Jack Straathof of Clear Lake, Jan & Art Woolbert of Stanwood and Patrick & Charlene Dillon of Sedro-Woolley. 13 grandchildren, Jim Peitersen Jill, Ron Peitersen Melena, Jill Reid Carl, Gregg Straathof Christi, Garrett Straathof Hailey Jo, Desiree Straathof, Scott McPherson Sally, Colleen McPherson and Toni, Ali, Arielle, Zachary and Annalise Dillon and 5 great-grandchildren, Kyle, Derek & Jena Peitersen and Connor & Leslie McPherson. He was preceded in death by his parents James O. & Jesse and by a sister, Arlene Stearns.
The family requests memorials be made to the Shrine Hospitals for Children, 6601 – 244th Street SW, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043, the Cyrene Chapter, OES Scholarship Fund, c/o Ruth Breland, 1192 So. Spruce Street, Burlington, WA 98233 or a charity of your choice.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 1:00 PM at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley with Pastor John Batts of the Clear Lake First Baptist Church and members of the Burlington United Lodge #93, F.&A.M. officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at the Sedro-Woolley Union Cemetery.

To view the webcast of the service click here.