Family Biographies
Eugenia Dillon
(left)
1912 - 2006
from The Miami Herald
October 1, 2006
Obituary section
EUGENIA DILLON ALLEN, born in Miami in 1912, aged 94, passed away peacefully at Seattle, WA on September 26th, where she lived at a retirement community near her daughter's home. "Jean" was the daughter of two of South Florida's earliest pioneer families, both in Florida before statehood. Her mother was Adelaide Moody, who was born on the Moody family homestead near Tampa and moved with her family to Miami in 1896. Jean's father was Capt. Raymond Dillon, who was born in Key West to a seafaring family which moved to Miami in 1898. Adelaide and Raymond met and married in early Miami and raised a family of four children at a large home they built in the Highland Park neighborhood. Jean's father, Raymond Dillon served as Miami's Chief of Police (1917 to 1921), a Port of Miami Harbor Pilot, and Captained many of Miami's early cruise ships from the "City of Miami," which sailed to Cuba in the 1920's, through the P&O vessels including the famous S. S. Florida which sailed to Havana and other Caribbean ports during the 1950's. Even as an infant, Jean attracted attention. She won the "Most Beautiful Baby" contest in Bayfront Park in 1913. She later attended Miami High, but graduated from Miami Edison High School where she was voted "Best all Around" and "Friendliest" in her senior class. Always an accomplished writer, she won a journalism scholarship to Northwestern, but her father felt "Girls shouldn't go to college." Jean attended the Edison High reunions well into her nineties. In 1930, Jean met Ralph F. Allen, a young medical student from Milton Florida. After his graduation from Tulane Medical School they were married in Miami in 1935, and after the wedding, traveled to San Francisco where Dr. Allen did his internship at the Presidio. The couple returned to Miami and welcomed two children: Jayne was born in 1936, and Ray in 1940. The family lived first in Grove Park where they built a new home. In 1948, they built another new home in Hammock Lake Park, then a new neighborhood on Old Cutler Road, where Jean lived most of her adult life. Dr. Allen served as a Lt. Commander in the Navy during WW II, spending almost two years with the Marine Corps in the South Pacific island battles. He re-entered private practice in Miami upon his return. Dr. Allen's untimely death in 1957 left Jean a widow at age 44. She then worked for a few years at the University of Miami Medical School offices, but with her independent spirit and love of life, turned mostly to helping others. She was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church of So. Miami, where she served in almost all volunteer positions, and was instrumental in starting the church thrift shop which she helped manage for decades. During the time when schools were being integrated, she made many friends in the African-American neighborhood of South Miami, which was very near her church. She persuaded the minister of Mt. Olive Church to open a kindergarten with women volunteers from both churches, and created a neighborhood institution which was badly needed, and later taken over by the government program, Head Start. She also volunteered regularly at J.R.E. Lee Elementary, the public school in the neighborhood, helping teachers and students. Jean was also a founding member of the After School House, a volunteer-based study space for children in South Miami, which is still a growing volunteer organization today, and is now operated by the City of So. Miami. In her work with the Lee Park neighborhood, she often helped families who never knew about her efforts. If a child needed glasses, or a mother needed food, these things often appeared with Jean's help but without her name attached. However, she did receive recognition for her years of work, when she was presented with the Key to the City of South Miami by Mayor Cathy McCann. Jean was always known for her smile and good humor, and her work with children made Halloween her favorite holiday. For years on that day, she dressed as a witch and appeared incognito among the school children she knew so well. In her long black dress, pointed hat and full mask, always carrying a broom, the witch would appear at various elementary schools in South Miami throughout the day, or perhaps be seen walking down Sunset Drive, or just driving around in a Volkswagen. Many of her young friends never knew the identity of the witch they saw every Halloween. In addition to her church, Jean was an active member for many years of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Coco Plum Women's Club, The Historical Association of Southern Florida, and the Miami Pioneers Club. She was a founding member of The Miami Genealogical Society and Natives of Dade. In 1966 at age 55, Jean joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), usually called the domestic Peace Corps. She traveled to Colorado for training, and was assigned to the Ute Indian Reservation in Ignacio, Colorado. She spent a year there helping Indian families, many of whom became lifelong friends. Returning to Miami, she continued in her volunteer work locally until moving to Ft. Worth, Texas in 1993 to live near her daughter's family. Once there, she immediately began volunteering in literacy programs and tutoring at a nearby elementary school. She moved to the Seattle area in 1998 at age 87 when her daughter's family relocated. Mrs. Allen is survived by her two loving children, Jayne Allen Lipe (and her husband, Gary) of Bellevue, WA, and Ray Allen (and his wife, Chy) of Miami, four grandchildren, Cathy Lipe of Palo Alto, CA, Ralph Lipe (and wife Lynda) of Seattle, WA, Eric Allen (and wife Donna) of San Diego, CA, and Terry Allen (and wife Sabine) of Miami. Jean's four great grandchildren are James Lipe, Nicole Lipe, Karina Lipe, and Lucas Allen. She was predeceased by two of her siblings, Melville Dillon and Ruth Dillon Corson, both of Miami, and is survived by one sister, Elizabeth Dillon Theobald of Pensacola. Arrangements are being handled by Stanfill Funeral Home, and services will be held in the Chapel at the United Methodist Church of So. Miami, 6565 Red Road on Thursday, October 5th at 10 AM, followed by a private graveside ceremony at the family plot at Miami Memorial Park. Donation gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to The After School House Program, c/o City of South Miami, 6130 Sunset Dr, South Miami, FL 33143.