Martha Silva Dillon

MARTHA SILVA
DILLON

Feb. 18, 1946 - Nov. 26, 2010

Martha Silva Dillon was born on February 18, 1946 in Calvillo, Aguascalientes, Mexico. She died Friday, November 26 in San Diego after a well-fought battle with leukemia.
A woman of deep faith and conviction, Martha was first and foremost a devoted daughter to Jose (deceased) and Maria Silva, formerly of Brawley and presently of Spring Valley. Raised in Brawley, California, she went to Magnolia School, graduated from Brawley Union High School in 1963, attended Imperial Valley College, and received a Bachelor's Degree from San Diego State University in 1967. Doing what she ardently loved and excelled in, she began a career in teaching at Niland Elementary School and Hidalgo and Oakley schools in Brawley. In 1971 she followed a dream and moved to the San Diego area. After a year teaching at Lemon Grove Elementary School, she moved on to higher education. She began teaching mathematics at Southwestern College in Chula Vista and taught there until the onset of her illness and subsequent retirement. During that tenure she acquired a Master's Degree in Spanish from San Diego State University.
Martha is survived by her husband of 29 years, Robert Dillon, of Jamul and step-daughter Allyson White of Austin, TX. Martha and Robert met in San Diego and were married on September 5, 1981. She is also survived by 4 brothers and 6 sisters, whom she helped care for and nurtured in her youth, being the second oldest in the Silva family. Always attuned to the spiritual needs of her brothers and sisters, she anticipated her teaching career by holding catechism classes for her younger brothers and sisters and preparing them for the sacraments. She continued this ministry through most of her life for the parishes she was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brawley; Santa Sophia Catholic Community in Spring Valley; St. Pius Catholic Church Jamul; and at home for her nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Her surviving brothers and sisters are: Jesse and Gloria Silva of Imperial; Margaret and Elias Chairez of Spring Valley; Peter and Anna Silva of Washington, DC; David and Anna Silva of San Juan Bautista; Anna and John Hoskins of Tucson, AZ; Esther and Manuel Lutz of Spring Valley; George and Mirna Silva of Jamul; Carmen Silva of Spring Valley; Susan and Floyd Rosson of Spring Valley; and Teri and Rick Luque of Spring Valley. She is also survived by brothers-in-law Jim White and John White of San Diego and sisters-in-law Deborah McManus of Mira Mesa, Cheryl Galante of Kansas City, MO., and Nancy White who lives in Florida.
Out of her love for poetry, music and the richness of tradition, Martha achieved one of her many lofty goals and in 1974 directed and produced "El Coloquio" at the Don Powell Theater at San Diego State University. Using the script transcribed by her now deceased sister, Josephine Silva, from the original, hand-written manuscript handed down from her maternal grandfather, Aurelio Silva, Martha led her brothers and sisters and some very close friends and musicians in presenting the traditional play. She has since translated the play to English.
Rosary and Wake are planned for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 30 at St. Pius Catholic Church, 14107 Lyons Valley Rd. in Jamul. A celebration of life mass will be held at the same church on Wednesday at 10 a.m. followed by internment at Singing Hills Cemetery.