Obit. from the
Arizona Republic
RICHARD DILLON
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PHOTO: February 25, 1995 Tempe Historical Museum
November 12,1945-June 21, 2008
Richard William Dillon, Jr.,
62, of Tempe, AZ died unexpectedly
June 21st. He waged a lifetime battle
with alcoholism and died sober.
(PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THIS ALCOHOLISM
THING IS BULLSHIT--TC) Richard
was born November 12, 1945 in
Dyersburg, TN to Mary Viola Peoples of
Dyersburg and Richard William Dillon
of Las Vegas, NM. He is survived by
his two brothers, Michael and Charles;
his three daughters, Hope, Sage and
Nora; son-in-laws, Oliverio and Eric;
and grandchildren, Quetzal, Citlalli
and Henry.
Richard was shaped by his time in Japan
where his father, a Master Sergeant in
the Air Force, was stationed after World
War II. He also lived in Haight-Ashbury
at the height of the counter-culture
experience. But he was an Arizonan at
heart and was deeply rooted in Tempe
where he graduated from Tempe High
(class of 1963) and ASU with a degree in
History. A lifelong activist, he was
radicalized in the 1960s and served as
head of Students for a Democratic
Society at ASU, organized for Vietnam
Summer and attended the New Politics
Convention in Chicago where Martin
Luther King Jr. spoke.
He organized laundry workers at ASU,
supported the United Farm Workers Union
and wrote for "Voice of the City."
Richard met his ex-wife, Mary Ann, at a
meeting of the Committee to End the War
in Vietnam. Richard had many passions
and talents. He knew the back corners of
Arizona and reveled in the history and
nature of the state. He founded Four
Peaks Press and published two books,
"Arizona's Amazing Towns" and "Western
Quotations." A true book lover, he ran
an online bookstore on eBay and had
recently reread "Walden" and "Life on
the Mississippi."
He loved volleyball, hiking, sketching
at the Desert Botanical Garden and
visits to the zoo with his
grandchildren. He was proudest, he said,
of his daughters and grandchildren and
the work he did to save the Salt River
from Orme Dam and Tempe Butte
from development. A service will be held
Thursday, June 26th at 4 PM at First
Congregational Church (101 E. 6th St.,
Tempe, 85281). A wake follows at the
Knights of Pythias Lodge (1606 E. Apache
Blvd., Tempe, 85281). In lieu of
flowers, please donate to the
progressive cause of your choice.
stopOrmDam.jpg
This article comes from
Phoenix Anarchist Coalition BY THE WAY THIS IS A
VERY GOOD BOOK!
http://www.phoenixanarchist.org/
The URL for this story is:
http://www.phoenixanarchist.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=723