Robert C. Dillon

Funeral service for Robert C. Dillon, 78, of Anniston, will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 17, 2010, at Golden Springs Baptist Church with Dr. Roland Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the church. Mr. Dillon died Tuesday night at UAB hospital. Survivors include his wife, Helen F. "Bit" Dillon; children, Robert C. (Bobby) Dillon and wife, Jennifer, Susie Dillon Greenzalis and husband, Mike, Leigh Dillon Sullivan and husband, Pat; grandchildren, Kelly and Emmy Greenzalis, Patrick and Dillon Sullivan, Kendall and Robert Dillon; sister, Patricia Dillon Woodham and husband, Bob; nieces, Betsy Pardue and Lucy Stewart. Mr. Dillon is preceded in death by parents, Coach Chester C. Dillon and Martha R. Keith Dillon, of Jacksonville and nephew, Keith Woodham. Mr. Dillon was born on May 17, 1931 in Birmingham, Ala. He moved with family to Pontiac, Ill. for the first six years. His father was coach and athletic director of Pontiac High School Athletics. His father then became coach and athletic director of Jacksonville State Teachers College in 1936 and family moved to Jacksonville, Ala. Mr. Dillon attended Jacksonville City Schools and played football and basketball for Jacksonville High School (lettered four years each). He then attended JSU for two years on athletic scholarship and played football and basketball. Later he transferred to University of Alabama for junior and senior years and graduated there with BA degree in 1953 with also a commission as 2nd Lt. in Anti Aircraft Artillery. He was called into active duty for the Korean War in June 1953 and served two years in the Panama Canal Zone as platoon leader and club officer. He was discharged as 1st Lt in the spring of 1955 and served 12 years in U.S. Army Reserve 405th Civil Affairs Unit as JAG officer and resigned as Major in 1967. Upon discharge from the army, he entered summer class law school at the University of Alabama in June 1955, and graduated with LLB in September 1957. He married Helen F. "Bit" Frizzle on September 20, 1957 and served as law clerk for the Alabama Supreme Court Justice Davis F. Stakely 1957-1958. He joined the Attorney Generals Office of John Patterson spring 1958 as Assistant Attorney General. In 1959 he moved to Anniston and joined the law firm of Burnham, Klinefelter and Dillon. In 1963 he joined the Anniston law firm of Knox, Jones, Woolf & Merrill later to become Dillon, Field, Monk & Stedham. Dillon practiced law as a litigation attorney with that firm for 38 years and served as Sr. Managing partner for over 10 years. He specialized in defense, in civil trials and represented numerous insurance companies, Alabama Power Co., Regional Medical Center, Anniston National Bank, Norfolk Southern Railway and Southern Railway, Water Works & Sewer Board of Anniston and numerous other corporate and individual clients. He joined Wilson, Dillon, Pumroy and James in July 2001. He was President of the Calhoun County Bar Assn., Chairman Calhoun County Red Cross, Board of Directors Alabama Defense Lawyers Assn., Chairman of Board Episcopal Day School, Board of Directors Anniston Country Club, Board of Director and President of Soup Bowl Inc., President of Anniston Rotary Club, Elder and Deacon for 18 years 1st Presbyterian Church of Anniston, Deacon of Golden Springs Baptist Church, Board Member Carpenters for Christ, Member Ala. State and American Bar Assn. He was a member officer and board member of numerous other civic, religious and professional organizations. Mr. Dillon loved his family, his profession, athletics and golf. He was an avid woodcarver and enjoyed delighting his family and friends with carved animals, Santas, sea captains and such. Mr. Dillon was a skilled basketball player and played aggressively on organized teams until the age of 66. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Flowers will be accepted by family or donations to Golden Springs Baptist Church. Gray Brown-Service Mortuary in charge of arrangements. (256) 236-3441 Online condolences made at www.graybrownservice.com