Holmes Oliver Dille Jr.

Holmes Oliver Dille, Jr., after a short illness, passed on to be with his Lord and Savior, on the evening of January, 30, 2012. Born on February 21, 1921, in Aurora, Illinois, to Holmes Oliver Dille, Sr. and Laura Grace Jennings Dille, Holmes was 3 weeks shy of his 91st birthday. He was a member of America's "Greatest Generation," growing up during the Great Depression and serving his country during World War II. During his youth, he was a member of the Boy Scouts, became an Eagle Scout, and was also a member of the Order of the Arrow. Holmes graduated from East Aurora High School in 3 1/2 years, in 1938, and enrolled at Aurora College. After Pearl Harbor, Holmes enlisted in the US Army and fought in the European theater. Landing at Normandy several months after D-Day, his battalion fought its way across France, Belgium, and into Germany and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. Returning to the United States in February 1946, he dated and married the love of his life, Sabina Mazurek, on May 30, 1948, at Aurora's Fourth Street Methodist Church. They were married for almost 57 years, until Sabina's death in May 2005. Holmes attended Aurora College prior to World War II and graduated from Northwestern University, with a BS in Business Administration, in August of 1948. He started his career at Boye Needle Company and spent most of his professional career as an accountant for LeTourneau Westinghouse Corporation in Peoria, Illinois. Holmes and his family spent five years in Brazil, where he worked in the Finance and Accounting Department of Tratores do Brasil, a Brazilian subsidiary of LeTorneau Westinghouse Corporation. While in Brazil, Holmes became fluent in Portuguese and continued to develop his photographic hobby, taking (and developing in his own dark room) numerous pictures and slides of the colorful Brazilian countryside and lifestyle. Several of his photographs won awards in local shows and magazines. Returning to the United States in 1960, Holmes and family were able to stop and visit a number of Latin American countries. In addition to working in Brazil, Holmes also took work-related trips to Europe and Africa, finally retiring in October 1985. Holmes' hobbies (besides photography) included reading, coin and stamp collecting. He entered stamp exhibits in numerous stamp shows. He was an avid bridge player and very competitive at every game he played. Holmes was actively involved in Habitat for Humanity and served as president of Peoria's United Churches for Better Housing. He and Sabina were active, lifelong members in the First United Methodist Church in Peoria, Illinois. Holmes taught adult Sunday school classes for many of those years. After moving to Midland, Texas, in 2000, they became members of the Midland First United Methodist Church. He is is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Brian Keith and Diana Rae Dille, and granddaughter, Tamara Dille, all of Odessa, Texas; daughter, Patricia Ann Dille of Quito, Ecuador; brother, Dave Dille of Kingwood, Texas; sister, Joyce Dille Reich and brother-in-law, Jack Reich of Lago Vista, Texas; sister- and brother-in-law, Irene and Russ Warczak of Denver City, North Carolina, and numerous cousins. Holmes was preceded in death by his parents, Holmes Oliver Dille, Sr. and Laura Grace Jennings Dille; and wife, Sabina Mazurek Dille. There will be a graveside service held at 2:00 p.m., on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa, Texas. The family would like to thank the loving caregivers who cared for Holmes in the Vogel Unit at Manor Park; the caring sitters from Poppy Flowers, who kept him company during his last 8 months at Manor Park; and the nurses, aides and staff at Manor Park's Younger Alzheimer's Center; and the staff of Hospice Midland, who were involved in his care during the final week of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to HCJB Global, P.O. Box 39800, Colorado Springs, Co. 80949 (daughter Patricia is a missionary nurse at their hospital in Quito, Ecuador.) Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home. To sign the guest book, go to our website at: www.sunsetodessa.com.