Kathleen A. Dillon

Mrs. Kathleen (Kay) A. Dillon, 75, of Scarborough, passed away Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House where many friends, family and former students came to visit her on the last few days of her life to let her know how much she was loved. Born on January 23, 1940 in Brooklyn, NY, Kathleen was the daughter of the late James and Margaret (Kelley) ORourke. She married Arthur A. Dillon, Jr. in 1962. They lived in New York and Kansas before settling in Maine to raise their three boys. They shared 39 years of marriage and the love of baseball until his death in 2001. Lets Go Mets! Mrs. D, as she was affectionately called by students, worked in the Guidance Office of Scarborough High School then in South Portland High School for over 30 years where she made a lot of wonderful friends. She had a unique ability to connect with students and knew when to be hard on them and when to be caring. Whenever she saw a student struggling, she would reach out to them; there are countless stories of how Mrs. D encouraged a student to do better and believe in themselves. She truly made a difference in hundreds of lives. She was honored when both schools each dedicated a yearbook to her and she considered it her most notable achievement. Even as recently as last summer she was invited to attend a class reunion that she attended, excited to see some of her former students. Kay was full of life and often described as colorful. She had an energy that allowed her to make friends easily and her bright blue Irish eyes were always sparkling. She loved spending time at the beach, specifically Scarborough Beach, with her treasured beach friends. Most of all, Kay was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. There has never been a person more suited to raise three active boys than Kay. She truly enjoyed every moment of their childhood and attended all of their sporting events with her infamous cowbell in tow. She rang that cowbell with passion even for the opposing team if they made a good play simply because she loved seeing all kids succeed. Her fun-loving, caring and nurturing personality will be deeply missed by so many who had the honor and privilege of being a part of her life. Her family is heartbroken. She is survived by her sons, Arthur Dillon, III and his wife Linda of Scarborough; Michael Dillon and his wife Rebecca of Westbrook; and Jim Dillon and his wife Christena of Gorham. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren, Casey, Jamie, Seamus, Molly, Faith and Quinn and several loving nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her sister Joan Daronco with whom she shared a strong bond and travelled extensively with prior to her death in 2002. Visiting Hours will be held on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015 from 1-5PM at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. Prayers will be recited on Monday, Feb. 23, at 10:15AM at the Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Road, Scarborough. Private interment will take place in the spring. To share a memory or online condolence with the family, please visit www.ctcrawford.com In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dream Factory, PO Box 1255, Scarborough, ME 04070.