Dillon legacy lives on with donations

▶️ Listen to this article now.

SAGLE — Sixteen nonprofits in Bonner County are the beneficiary of up to $500,000 in donations from a longtime landowner.

Joyce Dillon died in July of last year after a short illness. She was 76.

Dillon had no closing living relatives and opted to share her wealth with the community after a 56-year career as a flight attendant with United Airlines.

"She left the vast majority — over 80 percent and up to $500,000 — to nonprofits in Bonner County," said her estate's personal representative, who asked not to be named in order to keep the spotlight on Dillon and her generosity.

Donations ranged from $10,000 to as much as $135,000. Beneficiaries included Better Together Animal Alliance (formerly known as the Panhandle Animal Shelter), the Pend Oreille Arts Council, Panhandle Alliance For Education, Pend Oreille Chorale, the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, Bizarre Bazaar, the Bonner Community Food Bank, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Sandpoint Community Resource Center, the Panida Theater, Sandpoint Area Seniors, Kinderhaven, the Bonner County Historical Society & Museum, the American Heritage Wildlife Foundation and Survivors Rescue Inc., a horse rescue organization.

"This was a nice thing for someone to do — leave a legacy," said Dillon estate rep.

Dillon served her entire career with United. Her goal was to be in the top 10 in seniority among over 10,000 flight attendants and it's believed she attained that goal. The Warren, Ohio, native began flying propeller aircraft out of Washington, D.C., before moving on to Seattle and Los Angeles, where she set up residency for decades. She moved to Sandpoint in the 1990s and transferred her flying domicile to San Francisco for the last few decades of her career.

"She really loved Sandpoint," the representative said.

The estate's representative got to know Dillon because they both arrived in Bonner County at around the same time. She was known for hosting convivial dinner parties that were elegant, delicious and always full of good conversation and laughs whether they were big or small.

"She was a great entertainer. She was socially inclined and was a wonderful hostess," said the representative.

Dillon is also remembered as an incredibly talented gardener who created magical spaces out of flowers, trees, shrubs and water features around her Sagle home. She was equally fond of dogs and cats.

The estate representative is hoping word of Dillon's donations will spur donations by others in the community.

"The money is going to have a big impact on many of these organizations," the representative said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.