Ruby Echo Dillon
Ruby Echo (Cahill) Dillon, 92, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, June 16, 2014 at her home with her daughters at her side. Funeral service will be held on Monday, June 23, 2014 at 10:00am at Trinity Episcopal Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 22, 2014 from 5-7pm at the Trinity Episcopal Church with a prayer service beginning at 7:00pm.
Ruby was born June 20, 1921 in Plainview Township on the family homestead to Guy & Ruby (Putzier) Cahill. She came into the world as a preemie weighing 3lbs. She was delivered by her father and her grandmother with the help of the Good Lord. Echo was kept warm wrapped in blankets and placed in a dresser drawer that was placed on the oven door. She attended Plainview Rural School thru the 8th grade and graduated from Winner High School in 1939.
Following graduation Echo was employed at the Tripp County Extension Office as the receptionist for the Agricultural Department. Echo was also the secretary of the Hereford Association. In 1942, Echo and her two sisters, Guyla and Chic, moved to Long Beach, California where Echo went to work for Howard Oil Well Supply Co. as the secretary and bookkeeper being the first female to work in that office due to the war. While working there, Echo married her high school sweetheart, Bill Dillon, who was stationed in San Diego while he was serving with the Navy during WWII.
To this union two daughters were born. Maureen was born in Long Beach, California on November 25th, 1945. The family moved back to South Dakota in the fall of 1947 to the Cahill farm NE of Winner. Echo Michelle was born on April 29th, 1948 in Winner, SD.
In the spring of 1949 the family moved into Winner. Echo and Bill purchased the Dairy Queen in 1953. Echo was at the Dairy Queen every day by 7:00am. They sold the Dairy Queen in the fall of 1978. In 1962, Bill and Echo began managing the Sale Barn café when it first opened. Echo’s mother named it “The Corral”. They retired from “The Corral” in 1970. They also ran a food catering service along with PeeWee and Lois Foltz.
Echo was involved in many organizations. She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church, ESA for over 30 years, American Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary, charter member of the BPO Does (treasure for 28 years), worked in the BPO Does lunch stand at the Elk’s Rodeo for 34 years, Junior Woman’s Club of BPW, ECW, CCHS, and was awarded Children’s Care Hospital and School EB Morrison Distinguished Service Award.
She enjoyed traveling with family and enjoyed going to her grandchildren’s activities. Echo looked forward to hitting the rodeo trail each summer to watch her grandchildren and great granddaughter compete in their rodeo events. She especially enjoyed working in her yard, enjoyed her flowers and watching her Golden Finches. Echo was also very proud of her Irish Heritage.
Survivors include her two daughters Maureen (Squeek) Hollenbeck & Echo Michelle Parvin, 3 grandchildren: Scott (Teresa) Hollenbeck, Dori (Rod) Buckley, Tara (Brad) Fenenga, 2 great grandchildren: Sydney Hollenbeck & Kade Fenenga, a sister Guyla Tritle, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bill, granddaughter Tanya Parvin, son-in-law Lynn Parvin, sister & brother-in-law Chic & Bill Hewett, and brother-in-law Ralph Tritle.