Obituary for Jerome A. "Jerry" Dillon, Sr.
Jerome A. Dillon, Sr. passed away at the age of 94 on October 26, 2022 at Baptist East Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, with his loving family at his bedside.
Jerry was born in Louisville on March 16, 1928, to Edward Burch and Elizabeth Phillips Dillon. He was the seventh of their nine children and grew up in their loving family home on the corner of Newburg Road and Speed Avenue. The family were members of St. Agnes Catholic Church, where Jerry and his siblings attended school. He went on to Highland Junior High and DuPont Manual High School.
Jerry married Phebe Daugherty Hurst in May of 1949 and they had nine children together. Phebe passed away in 1968, and in 1970, Jerry married Betty Byerly Johnson, who had four daughters. In 1971, their last child was born, making an even 14. He raised his large, blended family at St. Raphael the Archangel Parish alongside all his siblings, their spouses, and twenty-one nieces and nephews.
Jerry had a very successful career in automobile sales and spent more than 40 years with Byerly Ford in Shively, Kentucky, before he retired in 1992. After retiring, he enjoyed a second career as a funeral car driver. He was always known for his great sense of humor and ability to keep all of us laughing. Family gatherings were his favorite, and his hobbies included gardening, cooking and cheering on his Louisville Cardinals. Recently, aging was not easy, but with selfless care from his youngest son Rob, he was able to live at home until passing.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and both of his devoted wives; as well as his brothers, David, Edward, Paul Thomas, Michael, and George Raphael; and his sister, Mary Dillon Brown. Also going before him were his sons, Edward Burch Dillon and Dennis Lee Dillon, and grandson, August Dillon Murphy.
He is survived by daughters, Mary Cowley (Bill), Daugherty Murphy (Rick), Nora Hall (Robert), Nancy Stucker (Greg), Vicky Combs (Doug), Paula Ballard (Greg), Diane Fisher, Lisa Hamilton (Woody), and Carrie Burns (Robert); his sons, Jerry Dillon (Peggy), Tom Dillon and Rob Dillon; his 23 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren; and two of his brothers, William Patrick Dillon and Francis Gabriel Dillon.
Visitation will be at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205 on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
His Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 2900 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205, at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, November 2nd.
Burial will follow the funeral Mass at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff of the Palliative Care Unit at Baptist East Hospital and Hosparus Health for the kind and loving care you gave our father.
Jerry was born in Louisville on March 16, 1928, to Edward Burch and Elizabeth Phillips Dillon. He was the seventh of their nine children and grew up in their loving family home on the corner of Newburg Road and Speed Avenue. The family were members of St. Agnes Catholic Church, where Jerry and his siblings attended school. He went on to Highland Junior High and DuPont Manual High School.
Jerry married Phebe Daugherty Hurst in May of 1949 and they had nine children together. Phebe passed away in 1968, and in 1970, Jerry married Betty Byerly Johnson, who had four daughters. In 1971, their last child was born, making an even 14. He raised his large, blended family at St. Raphael the Archangel Parish alongside all his siblings, their spouses, and twenty-one nieces and nephews.
Jerry had a very successful career in automobile sales and spent more than 40 years with Byerly Ford in Shively, Kentucky, before he retired in 1992. After retiring, he enjoyed a second career as a funeral car driver. He was always known for his great sense of humor and ability to keep all of us laughing. Family gatherings were his favorite, and his hobbies included gardening, cooking and cheering on his Louisville Cardinals. Recently, aging was not easy, but with selfless care from his youngest son Rob, he was able to live at home until passing.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and both of his devoted wives; as well as his brothers, David, Edward, Paul Thomas, Michael, and George Raphael; and his sister, Mary Dillon Brown. Also going before him were his sons, Edward Burch Dillon and Dennis Lee Dillon, and grandson, August Dillon Murphy.
He is survived by daughters, Mary Cowley (Bill), Daugherty Murphy (Rick), Nora Hall (Robert), Nancy Stucker (Greg), Vicky Combs (Doug), Paula Ballard (Greg), Diane Fisher, Lisa Hamilton (Woody), and Carrie Burns (Robert); his sons, Jerry Dillon (Peggy), Tom Dillon and Rob Dillon; his 23 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren; and two of his brothers, William Patrick Dillon and Francis Gabriel Dillon.
Visitation will be at Highlands Funeral Home, 3331 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205 on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
His Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 2900 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205, at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, November 2nd.
Burial will follow the funeral Mass at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road, Louisville, KY 40205.
The family wishes to thank the entire staff of the Palliative Care Unit at Baptist East Hospital and Hosparus Health for the kind and loving care you gave our father.