Michael Jeffrey "Mike" Dill

1957 - 2020

Michael Jeffrey "Mike" Dill

Michael Jeffrey "Mike" Dill, 63, passed suddenly on November 9, 2020, at IU Health Arnett Hospital, from complications related to a heart attack.

Mike was the co-owner of the Garden Station in Monticello, Indiana, with his beloved wife of 28 years, Nancy Elizabeth "Betsy" Dill. The store just celebrated its 25th anniversary year in 2020.

He was the first baby born at the new White County Memorial Hospital in Monticello, to parents Daphne Eloise (Thurman) Dill and William Granville Dill (both deceased). He grew up in "Dillville" between Monticello and Delphi, with his loving brothers and sisters, William (deceased) (Lita) Dill; Rodney (Gay) Dill; Karen (deceased) (Gary) Phillips; Larry (Karen Sue) Dill; Terry (Roberta Jo) Dill; Debra (James) Haworth; and Thomas (Cynthia, deceased) Dill. He graduated from Twin Lakes High School in 1975.

After completing a BA in History at Purdue University, he worked with his brother Terry Dill building homes and with his brother-in-law Gary, laying carpets. He had a grounds maintenance business in Lafayette with his brother Thomas "Tommy" Dill. He was an avid builder and built his own home.

He moved to Maryland in 1988 where he worked at the Grounds Maintenance and Development Department at the University of Maryland, and he met his wife, Betsy, there.

In 1991, he and Betsy moved back to "Dillville," and in 1992 they were married at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, Maryland, with a reception at the home of his mother-in-law, Joyce R. Herner. From 1993 to 1995, he and Betsy had a local landscaping business called Brookside Landscape Contractors.

In 1995, they started a garden center in an abandoned gas station, hence the name, Garden Station, specializing in flowers, shrubs, trees, landscape supplies, and garden gifts. Every year, he loved potting up and growing thousands of perennial flowers and taking care of his plants, customers, and store. Over the years they had many loyal customers and hard-working employees.

Mike loved traveling to see family, friends, and beautiful places. He also loved hiking, bicycling, boogie boarding, brewpubs, live music, writing, genealogy, and pets, especially his cats Bobby and Bubbe. He enjoyed socializing with his family and friends around brother Tommy's outdoor fire pit and at special occasions and holidays. He was a fun-loving uncle to his many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews. His smile, quirky and witty sense of humor were contagious. He was kind, gentle, handsome, hard-working, intelligent, a man of many talents, and best friend to his wife, Betsy.

Due to Covid-19, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Happy Tails Animal Care Center, Buffalo, Indiana, or NICHES Land Trust, Lafayette, Indiana.

He was well-loved and loved well. He will be missed forevermore.

Springer-Voorhis-Draper Funeral Home of Monticello is entrusted with care.

Friends and family are encouraged to share a memory or a message of condolence at www.springerfuneralhome.com