Bernice "Bea" Dillon

1922 - 2021

Bernice "Bea" Dillon

Wisconsin Rapids - Bernice "Bea" Dillon, 98, Wisconsin Rapids, died May 27, 2021, at her home in Renaissance Assisted Living.

She was born September 10, 1922 in Superior WI, daughter of the late George and Jeanette (Ehnebom) Munnings; she was one of ten siblings.

Bernice loved adventure, which lead her to Washington D.C. during WWII where she worked three jobs to support herself. At the Pentagon, her duties included a rotation typing the telegrams informing families of soldiers killed in action. While in D.C. she also modeled the latest fashions for DC notables at a high end department store. After the war she joined sister Florence working for the government in Vienna Austria. They used their free time to travel by train throughout Europe.

She returned home to Superior to attend college where she met and married her "gentle giant", Dr. Raymond Dillon in 1950. They raised three children in Vermillion S.D. and later traveled the world together. Their travels included England, the Holy Land, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and parts in-between. She was very active in her church, loved to play games and did crossword and jigsaw puzzles regularly.

Bernice is survived by one daughter, Cynthia Dillon; two sons; David (Cheryl) Dillon, and Roger (Jill) Dillon; four grandchildren; Corey, Justin, Mitchell and Natalie; four great-grandchildren; Courtney, Emily, Abbey and Ian; one great-great grandchild; Max; three sisters; Ruth Beckwell, Frances Munnings and Susan (Joel) Haley; one brother; John Munnings and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial celebration of life for family will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the University of South Dakota - Raymond D. Dillon Memorial Travel Award Scholarship fund.

The family would like to say a very special thank you to all the caring and loving staff of Renaissance Assisted Living!