Daisy Rae Dille

Daisy Rae Mahoney was born September 3, 1936 in Cairo, IL to Ray and Yula (Wilson) Mahoney and died December 3, 2020. She grew up in Mounds, IL surrounded by family and friends! She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. Daisy attended Mounds Thistlewood Grade School and Mounds Township High School in Mounds and graduated from Southern Illinois University Votechnial Institute in May 1957.

During Daisy’s school age years, she was very active in school, 4-H, American Legion Post 178, and attended Illi Girl’s State and church activities. She also was a junior and an adult assistant 4-H leader after marriage. As her sons grew up, she was a Cub Scout den mom and helped with Boy Scouts.

On March 30, 1957, she married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, George Russell Dille. They have two sons—James Ray (Cynthia Knauft) and Russell Eugene (Anita), three grandsons George Russell (Anna), Clinton Ray (Emma), and Jacob Krin, one great-grandson, Ellis Russell, and two great-grandbabies on the way, Rylen Rae and baby Dille. She is also survived by her brother, James ‘Buddy’ Wilson Mahoney, brother-in-law, James F. Dille (Mary), cousins, and many nieces/nephews too! Daisy and George also have “children borrowed from other parents”: Barbara Cobuluis, Keith Critchlow, Kris Crowder, Kelley Graves, Ed and Steve Montgomery. All were very special to her! Her family was the most important thing in her life!

Daisy and George cherished their time together in the many places they lived: Mounds, IL, Killeen, TX, St. Louis and Hannibal, MO, Topeka, KS, Eden Prairie, MN and Manhattan, KS. When living in Minnesota they camped and rode bicycles over many trails in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota plus camped in many places in the midnorthern US and Canada. They also camped in the southwest, Atlantic seaboard and Texas. She enjoyed traveling with George in the US and to Europe. Daisy enjoyed reading while George fished in the beautiful outdoors. Daisy also enjoyed quilting and working on photo albums for her family in Manhattan. Daisy loved watching the men’s Minnesota Gopher’s basketball, K-State baseball and basketball teams, Junction City baseball, and most of all, watching her grandkids participate in sport activities!

During the Topeka years, Daisy worked for USD 501 and was very active in the national and state organizations for Office Personnel. When in Minnesota, she worked for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, MN until she retired in October 1998. They moved back to Manhattan, KS to be nearer to family.

One of Daisy’s favorite memories was watching the sun coming up on Lake Superior at Madeline Island in Wisconsin! Yes, she did get up to watch it!

Memorial contributions may be given in memory of Daisy Rae Dille to the Mounds, IL Public Library (First St., Mounds, IL), Manhattan, KS Public Library, or to the Johnson Cancer Research Center, K-State University, Manhattan, KS. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502.

A celebration of her wonderful life will be held at Westmoreland United Methodist Church, Westmoreland, KS for family only, and will be available both live and recorded via zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/93727279805?pwd=R250NnptcWFzWFp1VnpxeHliRFJSdz09. Daisy’s ashes will be scattered over her beloved Kansas Flint Hills on the Dille Farm by her family in Olsburg, KS.