JOHN DILLON Obituary

JOHN E. DILLON John E. Dillon, 83, a lifelong member of the Overbrook, Kan., community, left this world on January 5, 2024. He was born on December 7, 1940, in rural Douglas County, Kan. John was a man of hard work and dedication and his legacy extends far beyond the boundaries of Overbrook. John passed away peacefully in his sleep after an extended illness. John graduated from Overbrook Rural High School in 1958. In 1959, he married Joyce Garst and together they built a life of farming and raising three boys, Jeffrey, Douglas, and David. All successful in their own professions, the "Dillon Boys" took the values of hard work and honesty from their father. Lt. David Dillon of the Douglas County Sherriff's Office passed away in 2008 from an accident. John leaves his legacy to Jeffrey and Douglas, as well as four grandchildren: Meghan, Austin, Molly, and Cameron, followed by six great-grandchildren. John Dillon was the son of Howard and Pearl Dillon and was born and raised in the farmhouse in Douglas County where his grandparents lived. He is survived by two sisters, Jackie Flory and Yvonne Heinen, a sister-in-law Marsha Kay and brother-in-law Douglas Garst and wife Julie. In 1958, John and his father, along with his sister's family, built one of the largest family dairy operations in Northeast Kansas, Dillon-Flory Dairy. The Dillon and Flory families embraced the life of dairy farmers where they tended to the land and livestock with unwavering commitment. In 1982, a new chapter unfolded as John, alongside his wife Joyce, ventured into the ownership and operation of Overbrook Livestock Commission Company - a venture that thrived under their watchful care until 2004. On Wednesday, January 10 Mr. Dillon was instate from 12 - 8 p.m. at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Family received friends from 6 - 7 p.m. at 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS 66044. A celebration of John's life will be held on January 28, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Willow Bend Event Center at 2241 E 141st St., Carbondale, Kan. A private family graveside service was held this week at Washington Creek Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests contributions to the John Dillon Fund. These gifts will be used to establish a memorial to farmers and ranchers of the Overbrook area and or a scholarship for young adults entering the challenging yet rewarding world of cattle farming. Donations can be sent to the John Dillon Fund, PO Box 81, Overbrook, KS 66524. John E. Dillon's legacy will live on in the fields he worked, the family he cherished, and the community he enriched. He will be remembered as a man whose hands were calloused from hard working and honest values that he gave to his family and community. Online condolences may be made at rumsey-yost.com.