Muchloved community worker and 2005 Cardinia Shire Senior Citizen of the Year Mary Dillon, who died in West Gippsland Hospital, Warragul, on 23 March.By Paul Dunlop
CORA LYNN residents and people around Cardinia Shire are mourning the death of muchloved Mary Dillon.
Mrs Dillon, who captured hearts for her tireless work on the community’s behalf, died on 23 March at West Gippsland Hospital, Warragul.
She was 75.
Winner of the inaugural Cardinia Shire Senior Citizen of the Year award in 2005, Mrs Dillon will be particularly remembered for her work on the Cora Lynn War Memorial.
She coordinated the effort to have soldiers who served in World War II and subsequent conflicts added to the memorial which was unveiled on Armistice Day in 2004.
Despite a visual impairment, Mrs Dillon left no stone unturned to ensure the project was a great success.
She was hailed a fitting winner when announced as the shire’s top senior citizen.
Secretary of the Kooweerup Potato Festival from 1977 to 1992, Mrs Dillon served as governor and life member of Westernport Memorial Hospital.
She became a life member of Cora Lynn Football Club after giving years of service to the club and also clocked up 30 years of involvement with local tennis and badminton clubs.
A member of Vision Australia for six years, Mrs Dillon took the minutes of Bunyip Township Committee meetings for Hillview, Bunyip Aged Care facility residents.
She was a member of Iona Catholic Parish for 70 years and worked as president of Hillview Residents Committee.
Mrs Dillon also learned to use a computer and email despite having just a five per cent vision capacity.
She was surrounded by her family when she died. Mrs Dillon’s life was to be celebrated at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Iona, today (Wednesday, 29 March) at 1 pm.
