Paul Ralph Dillon
Marriages
Isabel Kerr - June 16, 1951
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 4B Obituary - September 5, 2019
Paul Dillon February 6, 1931 - August 30, 2019 Paul Ralph Dillon was born February 6, 1931, in Franklin, PA to Oscar and Maude (Gilmore) Dillon. He passed peacefully at HopeWest Hospice Care Center on Friday, August 30, 2019, with his wife and children by his side. Paul was raised in Titusville, PA with his brothers, Oscar, Don and Glen. While attending school in Titusville he met his future bride at the Snowball Dance, after dancing with him several times Isabel Kerr decided maybe (just maybe) she could teach this cowboy how to dance. Paul enlisted in the Navy in 1951 and hitchhiked home to marry Isabel on June 16, 1951, thus began their wonderful journey. After the Navy, college, and two children, they moved west to start Paul’s teaching career. He taught high school in Craig, CO, then completed two NSF (National Science Foundation) grants, one at ASU and one at Cornell along with teaching at Eastern Arizona College and Glenville State College. They then loaded the family which now included four children and headed west again. Paul taught at Nucla High School and then moved to Plateau Valley to teach and be high school principal. It is interesting to note that during Paul’s teaching career he taught his wife, daughter, two sons, future son and daughter in law and had his youngest as a student while he was principal. The lure of full time ranching turned into Blue Creek Ranch, where Paul and Isabel moved in 1983. It was here that Paul fulfilled a lifelong dream of ranching, the cowboy way, meaning mostly on horseback. So many memories were made on this place, we all have stories about life at Blue Creek. After selling the ranch in 2000, Paul and Isabel traveled in an RV to Mexico, Alaska, Canada and crisscrossed the US, finally settling in Redvale, CO for a few years. Paul loved supporting his children and grandchildren, he attended many sporting, theater, and musical events they were involved in. He especially loved attending rodeos, football games, and wrestling matches, always cheering and ready to give a little advice. His life with Isabel is something each of us have wanted to emulate; having challenges, children, and adventures with someone you love so dearly. Paul referred to Isabel as his bride and would light up when she walked into the room. Paul was the patriarch of our family and we will be forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Isabel; daughter, Becky and Ray Lyons of Fairplay; son, Scott and Debbie of Delta; son, Jeff and Patti of Platte City, MO, and son, Alan and Rhonda of Denver. He will forever be loved and missed by his 16 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Paul always wanted to be remembered for his greatest honor and joy, his family. He never missed an opportunity to share how proud he was of the family he and Isabel raised. He also would have wanted us to remember him as a humble man...and Lord it’s Hard to be Humble. We will miss you forever. There will be a celebration of Paul’s life on Sunday, September 15, at 2:00 p.m. at the Palisade Veterans Memorial Community Center located at 120 West 8th Street, Palisade, CO. The family would like to invite you for a meal, music, and stories to share with each other. Donations can be made to HopeWest Hospice, in Paul Dillon’s name.
