DILLON, Patrick L.

DILLON, Patrick L. (Dubuque, IA, Aug. 23, 1939--Dubuque, IA, July 19, 2025). Pat Dillon was the third child, and first boy of 10 children in the Lawrence “Larry” and Ann (Norton) Dillon family. He had a happy childhood being raised on “Irish” Southern Avenue and learned life lessons from the SISTERS OF CHARITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (BVM) at ST. RAPHAEL'S CATHEDRAL. Pat continued his education at LORAS ACADEMY, Class of 1957, and went into the Army at the age of seventeen. While in the service, Pat fired “Expert” with the M1 rifle on the known distance range and with the carbine. He was high man in the battalion in 1959, at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. (1)

In 1960, Pat was hired at John Deere Dubuque Works and worked there for more than 37 years. He began work at as a machine operator and first ran for a union position in 1963. In 1967 Dillon was elected a trustee. He was elected vice-president of the local in 1969 and began his first of twelve terms as president of Dubuque's largest union in 1971. He helped form the Dubuque United Labor Participation Committee in 1978. In 1985 he attended the prestigious National Issues Forum in Boston. During this active leadership, Pat attended many classes and leadership conferences regarding social security, worker’s compensation and insurance claims. Several of those classes at the University of Iowa. In December 1992 Dillion announced that he would not seek re-election the following June. (2)

Pat was very active in local and national politics. He was involved in many political campaigns and was elected as a delegate in 1976, to the National Democratic Convention held in New York City as a delegate for Jimmy Carter. He kept in touch with President Carter and his wife Rosalynn until they passed away.

He was also very involved with his local community. Often listed among the ten most influential people in Dubuque, Dillon held many leadership positions in Dubuque organizations. Dillon served on the Civil Service Commission, GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION board, executive board of the United Labor Participation Committee, Human Rights Commission, and the Tri-States Alcohol Drug Abuse Committee. Dillon was the vice-president of Dubuque’s 1976 Bicentennial Committee. He was inducted into the DUBUQUE AREA LABOR HALL OF FAME in 2003. (3) Pat supported the Boy Scouts of America and was a founder and Institutional Representative of Troop #94. He was elected to the Board of Northeast Iowa Council B.S.A., the United Way Fund Raising Committee, Vice President of the United Way, Medical Associates H.M.O. Board, Dubuque Civil Service Commission Chairman, Foundation Board of Northeast Iowa Technical Institute and was a trained mediator for Small Claims Court. (4)

Pat married Karen Sear on August 26, 1961, at NATIVITY CHURCH. In his free time, Pat enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and golfing.

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Source:

1. Japsen, Bruce. "Dillon Stepping Down," Telegraph Herald, December 15, 1992, p. 1

2. Obituaries, "Patrick L. Dillon," Telegraph Herald July 23, 2025, p. 12A