Richard Raymond Dilling

Ray Dilling passed away on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at the age of 93 years.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Betty (nee Bond); children, Gordon (Lana) of Calgary, Bryan (Kelly) of Saskatoon, Kendall (Karla) of Calgary and Jeffery (Dalouie) of Spruce Grove; 14 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his son, Noel; parents, Eugene and Kathleen; brothers, Desmond & Gordon; and sister, Bertha Dubyk.  

Ray was born and raised in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. He enjoyed many of the activities that a young boy would experience, including trying to catch rides on the back of horse drawn sleighs as they went through town, or playing street hockey in the winter and shooting gophers in the summer. As Ray grew into adulthood, he developed an interest in boxing and enjoyed several years of boxing at a professional level. At the top of his career, he was ranked as one of the top middleweights in Canada.

Following his boxing career, he held various jobs, including working on drilling rigs in Northern BC. He was always a small town boy at heart and couldn't stay away from home for long. He returned to Lloydminster and was introduced to the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Something in their message struck a chord in his heart and he was soon baptized. He was an earnest student of the gospel and he decided to serve a full time mission. He was called to the Western Canada Mission and had many wonderful experiences.

After his mission, he took a job in a furniture store and started working with a man named Frank Bond. Frank invited him to his home to have dinner with his family and that is where he first laid eyes on the love of his life, Betty Bond. They had a whirlwind romance leading to a marriage in September of 1964. This marriage welcomed five boys into the world and so began their busy lives of raising a family, moving to Calgary and managing a dry cleaning plant in downtown Calgary. Ray was very involved in the lives of his children and always supported and encouraged them in their various activities. He served faithfully in many callings in the church and loved the gospel throughout his life.

Ray was known to all as a happy good natured man, who always had a joke to tell or a song to sing to someone. It was uncanny how he never failed to know the words of a song that would go along with a person's name or a certain situation. He had an incredible memory that never failed him. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, which led him to a well known hobby of his, knife making. There are several Boy Scout troops who now own a handmade knife, which he taught them to make. He was able to make a knife for all of his children and grandchildren before his health finally forced him to put his hobby aside. 

Ray will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered.

The Dilling family wishes to thank the staff at Silverado Creek Seniors Community for their excellent care and support of Ray.

A Memorial Service will be held for Ray on Friday April 12, 2024, what would have been his 94th birthday, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Parkland Chapel (14540 Parkland Blvd SE, Calgary) at 1:00 pm.