Bennett "Ben" R. Dillon Jr.

Everyone’s favorite uncle, neighbor, co-worker, friend, and surrogate father, “The Mayor of Monte Avenue”, Bennett R. Dillon, Jr. (Ben) passed away peacefully at his Fallston, MD, home of over 50 years on the evening of Saturday December 18^th, 2021 with his dog Mitzy and his youngest son Randy at his side from complications related to cancer that had spread from his bladder to his liver and other parts of his body.

Born in Martinsville, Virginia, to Bennett Randolph, Sr., and Hazel Dillon, he was the second child after his older sister Peggy (Peg) and the first and oldest son and brother of Thomas (Dick), James (Jim), Myrtle (Cookie), Frances (Franny), Jerry, Joy, and JoAnn.  He was raised in Parkton, MD, on farmland backing up to the Prettyboy Reservoir in the house his father built with the help of his construction friends on the weekends after their original house burned down in the middle of winter.

He started working construction with his Father at the age of 16 building homes and other buildings for the Henry A. Knott Construction Company out of Baltimore and became a skilled carpenter over the course of 8 years and earned the respect and trust of Henry Knott who offered him to take over the company before he sold it off and retired. Not ready for the responsibility of business ownership at that point in his life Ben worked for Lackey Construction for another 8 years before moving on to Nooco/Noonan Construction out of York, PA, and Timonium, MD,  A chance meeting with Scott Dance, a longtime friend and colleague,  at a little Pub on Padonia Road  called Mulligans, lead to his career change to Project Manager at Dance Brothers Concrete Construction of Baltimore Maryland, a position he held for the next 26 years and he called it “The Best Job I Ever Had” and Scott Dance said he was an “absolute vital employee since his hire in 1984” and “one of the all-time good guys and definite hall of famer”.

A proud member of the first soccer team and graduating class of Hereford High School in 1955 he organized many class reunions, luncheons, and bus trips over the years with some of his best friends and classmates.

He and all of his brothers served proudly in the US Army where he was trained and worked in Military Intelligence in Japan and Korea after the Korean War and became one of the first Americans to earn a black belt in two different disciplines of martial arts.

He was an avid sports fan and helped to manage teams involving his nephews and sons Steve and Randy. He was in attendance of “The Greatest (Football) Game Ever Played”-the 1958 Championship Game between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants played at Yankee Stadium where the Colts prevailed in the first ever overtime game.  When Randy played Ice Hockey for the Baltimore Blades and Stars he used to work the door to the penalty box so that they could spend more time together. A fixture at sporting events at Fallston High School for over 40 years he was able to attend at least one Football game every year during Coach Dave Cesky’s Hall of Fame career.

Ben was married to Betty JoAnn (Ball) for 57 years until her death in September of 2019, just after their September 1^st   wedding anniversary that was spent in the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

He is survived by his sons Steve from Lilburn, Georgia, and Randy from Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, “The Birthplace of In God We Trust" as well as his beloved dog Mitzy.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at The Fallston United Methodist Church at 1509 Fallston Road, Fallston, MD 21047 on Saturday January 22^nd from 1-3 PM with a luncheon immediately to follow catered by the Cowboy Eats Food Truck preparing some of Ben’s favorite foods.

In Lieu of Flowers donations can be made to:

The Fallston United Methodist Church A.R.K. Fund (Acts of Random Kindness) www.fallstonumc.org

The HEADstrong Foundation www.HEADstrong.org

The West Chester University W. Glenn Killinger Foundation – Bennett Dillon Scholarship www.KillingerFoundation.org

live-streaming will be through Fallston United Methodist Church at www.fallstonumc.org