Faith, family and service were the three core values Kathleen V. Dillon lived by before leaving this world to be with the Lord on November 3, 2007 at the Rapid City Regional Auxiliary Hospice House in Rapid City, SD.

Kathleen was born to Harvey and Katherine (Butterworth) Weaver in Tucson, AZ on August 19, 1944. She lived in a variety of places around the world as her stepfather, Joe Watson, was in the Army. She attended a Catholic Girls School, where the good sisters of the Church taught her everything she needed to know about her faith. After graduating from the Catholic school, Kathleen began to pass on her great faith in the Catholic Church, and an unwavering love for American values, to everyone she met. She began every day of her life with at least two hours of prayer as she dedicated all of her actions, thoughts and words to the Lord and prayed for strength and guidance.

On July 27, 1963, Kathleen married Jim Dillon in Richmond, MO. Shortly afterward the couple moved to Custer where they built a life together with their four children, and where Kathleen fell in love with the beautiful Black Hills-swearing there was no better place on earth. While in Custer, she operated the Whatzit Niche, a consignment and crafts store, on Main Street for many years. Later, in about 1989 she started the Wishing Well, a costume shop that allowed her to use her sewing talents to benefit the community by creating unique, one-of –a-kind costumes for Custer residents and visitors to wear all over the world. Thousands of costumes filled that shop, as hundreds of customers enjoyed perusing the racks filled with religious, scary, elegant, and classic disguises for all ages.

As a business woman, mother and wife in Custer, Kathleen also made great strides in helping the less fortunate of the community. She was a huge advocate for children, and she always found a way to provide costumes for the less fortunate youth who entered her shop. Kathleen was constantly searching for ways to make life easier for everyone, no matter their backgrounds of life situation. She also donated costumes to the Custer High School drama department, and local churches in the area for annual Christmas and Easter programs. In the 1980's Kathleen started Custer's first food bank, operating out of a mobile home to provide food for the hungry. Shortly afterward she started the town's Select-a-Gift program, operating under the premise that all children should have a delightful, age-appropriate toy to open on Christmas morning. She took that program one step further, allowing children to shop for their parents to find the perfect gift for them to wrap and put under the tree. Later, Kathleen also helped establish the community school supplies drive that provided all children with the necessary supplies they needed for the classroom. She also served as a member and president of the local Community Action Team for several years. In addition to all of these local efforts, Kathleen helped establish state programs to help children whose parents could not afford health insurance. As one of her children put it, "Mom fought tirelessly for the poor and less fortunate in the community."

While Kathleen worked to help others, her family and her faith were the two most important parts of her life. Her children and grandchildren spent countless hours discussing faith wither her, as she worked hard to instill in them an unwavering love for Jesus and the Lord. When she was with her family she enjoyed sewing and baking, and many family members cherish fond memories of flour fights at Christmas, as everyone gathered to make holiday goodies to be given away as presents in the community. Her children and grandchildren were also never without a special homemade outfit. In fact, one child fondly remembers a poodle skirt, which Kathleen fashioned out of a table cloth to be worn at a school 50's party. Recently one of her children told Kathleen, "mom, you love everyone." That comment was met with a stern look, as Kathleen reminded her that everyone deserves to be loved. Kathleen herself was extremely loved and she will be missed by all who were privileged to know her.

Kathleen is survived by her husband Jim Dillon, Sr. of Custer; four children, James Dillon, Jr. and his wife, Kim of Custer; Katherine Williams of Custer; Robert Dillon and his wife, Lareena of Rapid City; Bertina Larcher and her fiancé Jim of Custer; one brother, Francis Lee (Butch)Quigel of Rushville, IL; one sister, Cora (Curtis) Lovette of Hot Springs, SD; twenty three grandchildren; two great grandchildren and countless special friends.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Katherine Quigel and numerous brothers and sisters.

Wake services will be held 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 6, 2007 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Custer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Fr. Peter Kovarik officiating. Interment will follow at the Custer Cemetery in Custer.

The family requests that donations in Kathleen's name be made to the Rapid City Regional Auxiliary Hospice House in Rapid City.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Custer, SD. Written Condolences may be made at www.mccolleyschapels.com.