SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 40
(By Senators Anderson and Whitlow)
Commemorating the life and public service of the Honorable James
Clyde Dillon, Jr., former member of the Senate, former Clerk
of the Senate, former chairman of the state democratic
executive committee and distinguished West Virginian.
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., was born December
30, 1916, in Summers County, West Virginia, the son of James
Clyde Dillon and Grace (Leftwich) Dillon; and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., was a United States
Army veteran of World War II, a respected businessman in Hinton,
Summers County, West Virginia, and a former executive secretary
of the state road commission; and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., was married January
21, 1939, to the late Margaret Gilbert of Hinton, with whom he
shared the joy of having one son, James Gilbert Dillon; and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., was elected to the
tenth senatorial district in 1970, and reelected in 1974; and
Whereas, During his tenure in the Senate, the Honorable J.C.
Dillon, Jr., served as chairman of the Committee on
Transportation. He also served as a member of the committees on
Agriculture, Confirmations, Finance, Labor, Local Government and
Natural Resources and Education, where he served as vice
chairman; and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., resigned as a
member of the Senate in 1975 and was elected on January 8, 1975,
as the seventeenth Clerk of the Senate and was reelected in 1977
and 1979. He resigned as Clerk of the Senate December 31, 1979;
and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., devoted much of his
life to politics, serving in a myriad of politically powerful
positions, including; chairman of the Summers County democratic
executive committee; state chairman for the "Hubert H. Humphrey
for President" campaign during the 1972 primary and was a
delegate-at-large to the 1972 democratic national convention. At
the height of his political career, the Honorable J.C. Dillon,
Jr., was elected chairman of the West Virginia state democratic
executive committee, a powerful and highly respected position;
and
Whereas, The dedication, wisdom and political expertise of
the Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., has a direct influence on the
political careers of many past and present officeholders in both
state and federal government; and
Whereas, The Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., passed away on
April 12, 1993, in the county that launched his political career,
his beloved Summers County; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby expresses its sincere sadness at the
passing of the Honorable J.C. Dillon, Jr., former member of the
Senate; former Clerk of the Senate; and former chairman of the
democratic state executive committee, whose wisdom and influencein politics and government has had a lasting impact on the lives
of all who knew and respected him; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to
forward a copy of this resolution to the son of the Honorable
J.C. Dillon, Jr., James Gilbert Dillon; his daughter-in-law,
Donna Dillon; his granddaughter Margaret Dillon; and his brother,
Rev. Fred Dillon.