Tributes

How best capture the essence of a man’s life? And how bear witness to someone else’s struggles and successes from afar? When I think of my father Robert, the first word that comes to mind is FORTITUDE. Whatever life threw at him, whether decades of intense physical suffering or great difficulties on almost all other levels, he met it upright and with courage. To him, life’s troubles were never something to complain about but always something to be overcome with perseverance and deep FAITH. The second word that comes to mind is KINDNESS. No matter what hard times he might undergo himself, he would still always find the inner strength to be kind towards others, remaining considerate of their needs, tolerant of their shenanigans and willing to serve them in whatever capacity he was needed at any given moment. The third word would be PATIENCE: a virtue taught him by life itself as the years went on. And with patience came both a deep acceptance of fate’s burdens as well as a great surrender to God’s Holy Will, no matter how hard to understand it might have been at times. Robert’s strength of will and iron-like self-discipline were unparalleled, helping him to endure for decades where others would have quit. Yet all this never made him hard or finicky but rather increased both his GENTLENESS towards others as well as his GENEROSITY. Last but not least there was his golden sense of HUMOR and brilliant WIT, expressed with great ease by his wonderful ability of playing with language - a gift that greatly enriched his relations with others, no matter their background, circumstances or milieu. Once he was guest of honor at a great Indian wedding that lasted for ten days. On the second day he stood up and delivered a long and very witty poem to the newlyweds that he had composed the night before (jotting down notes on a napkin!) after having observed the various Indian customs that were all new to him. The host of guests couldn’t believe their ears and he was famous among them ever since! He also was a man with strong paternal instincts who always knew how to SERVE - quietly and in an unheralded and untrumpeted way, never drawing attention to himself and his actions. He was a FATHER, not just to his own offspring but to many souls around the world who trusted him with ease. His remarkable ability to embody paternity in a world yearning for the combination of manly strength and compassion that is true fatherhood lived well, was one of God’s greatest gifts to him. There are many who testify that it was exactly this deep paternal instinct within him that made him such an excellent MENTOR, permitting him to accompany them in the dramatic gap between the person they were in the beginning - and the person their destiny called them to be. He would always nurture them to the best of his abilities, trying to help them reach their goal. Robert also was a HUSBAND, greatly devoted to Connie, his beloved wife of several decades who preceded him in death by eleven years. Numerous were the people who admired the way they lived their marriage: endlessly supporting each other, caring for each other, bringing out the best in each other and helping each grow and flourish. Connie’s gentle influence helped him develop his own innate gifts over the years, up to the point where he could almost seamlessly connect with people in an extra ordinary diversity of cultural settings: blazing the way with all those magic sparks of vibrancy and intensity, warmth, good humor and infectious enthusiasm that were his trademark. It was mostly through Connie’s companionship that he became an icon of mastery and joie de vivre, graciousness and humility, kindness and empathy, honesty and integrity. He never ever stopped learning and even in his old age always kept looking for new inspiration and new growth. Robert also was a born COMMUNICATOR and leader which made him both a wonderful TEACHER as well as a highly successful manager with an international career: spanning six decades in numerous countries all around the world, between America (both north and south), Asia, Europe and Africa. He even lived in China for two years! Due to his deep understanding of human nature - both its pitfalls and its glories - he also was a much sought-after ADVISOR and consultant. His deep respect of other people and their cultures and traditions made him both cherished by his clients and appreciated by his colleagues. Finding himself being sent to exotic and far-away places to solve problems so difficult that several of his predecessors had already given up, was more standard than exception! He was a man who stood up for the TRUTH and always focused on the GOOD: Faith, Family, Friends and Career, in that order. He trusted Christ. He trusted the Magisterium of the Church. He did his part to shift, a little, “the balance of the word” and make it better - as we are all called to do. During all his life he also was a lover of animals, offering a home to a long line of pets he picked up from animal shelters while also caring for a myriad of birds who enjoyed the food, bird baths and hiding places he offered them in his garden. Sometimes he would even go so far as to wrap heating blankets around a bird house to protect a new clutch of eggs from unexpected cold - and the birds would tolerate it! His dear wife though might roll her eyes a bit when yet another 50-yard long extension cord had to be bought in order to keep the heating blankets running! And last but not least: My father TRUSTED GOD. And he did so with all his heart and mind and soul: believing in the dark, believing beyond the point of all believing, and at times even believing when it seemed impossible to believe any longer. He TRUSTED God’s assurances that there is no Cross that will not be followed by Resurrection and by Easter - but he also KNEW that there is no Easter without first bearing the Cross. On this belief he built his life - and this firm foundation saw him through to the very end as he passed on from this realm to the next. Today we thank God for the witness of Robert’s life: of graciousness among suffering and of generosity in the face of adversity, constantly over coming obstacles of all kinds in numbers too great to be counted. His later years were spent quietly and withdrawn, in great dignity and with much prayer, as he turned his humble life into an ever deepening gift of love sustained by the hidden undercurrents of sacrifice. It was a privilege to have known him and to have been part of his earthly journey. Now that he has preceded us we look forward to the time when we will all meet again in the new life to come: when the tears of this world will be gone and only God’s love and joy will still remain. Until then: May the blessings of the Most High be upon us all! Survivors include his daughter, Andrea Dillon of Graz, Austria; his niece, Madonna Farrell of Murrells Inlet and Helen from Guangzhou, China who was like his adoptive daughter. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 PM Thursday, September 19, 2024 at St. Michael Catholic Church.

Tributes

Robert M Dillon

November 16, 1935 - September 11, 2024