Perry A. Dillow, 92, of Iola died Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, at Guest Home Estates in Iola.
He was born April 22, 1918, on a farm near Millcreek, Ill., to George and Clara (Combs) Dillow. He grew up in Illinois and graduated from Dongola High School.
On May 31, 1936, he married Mildred Dillow in Cairo, Ill. They made their home in Illinois. He worked on the farm for a few years before going to work for the railroad. He worked as a section hand, then as a brakeman and finally as a conductor. In 1953, he began working for Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. He retired in 1980 and moved to Iola in 1985. She died Oct. 24, 2007.
He was a charter member and helped constitute a Southern Baptist church in Plainfield, Ill. The church is now a growing, spiritual institution named Fellowship Baptist Church.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He is survived by a son, Howard and his wife, Cheryl, Iola; two half brothers, Gerald, Fairfield Heights, Ill., and Larry, Anna, Ill.; two sisters, Virginia Stubbs, Denham Springs, La., and Nedadeen LaGrone, Coaling, Ala.; three grandsons, Stephen Dillow, Kansas City, Mo., Brian Dillow and his wife, Lacy, Humboldt, and Michael Dillow, Iola; five great-grandchildren, Megan Dillow, Iola, Gavin Dillow, Yates Center, and Logan, Gracie and Morgan Dillow, Humboldt.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Iola.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Iola. The Rev. Mike Quinn will officiate. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery in Iola.
Memorials to First Baptist Church may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for the family may be left at iolafuneral.com.
Perry Dillow
