Mary Julia Dillon

Mary “Julie” Dillon, of Roswell, NM, passed away April 7, 2026, at the age of 92 in Roswell, NM.

She was born Maria Julia de la Paz on January 20, 1934, in Vaughn, NM to Antonio and Lucinda de la Paz. She graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1953 and moved to El Paso, TX where she graduated from beauty school and was placed at LaVon Beauty Salon. She eventually moved back to Alamogordo and was hired at Angelo’s Beauty Salon.

While working a second job at The Sierra Theater ticket booth in Alamogordo in 1958, she met Marion “Dirt” Dillon, who was enlisted at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo. After a whirlwind romance, they eloped to Juarez, Mexico on May 25, 1958. Soon after, they welcomed their daughter, Brenda, followed by son Mike, son Tony and daughter Paula.

She held various jobs after raising her children, including managing a dry cleaners at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, NM, managing an Allsup’s in Clovis, NM and volunteering at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell, NM, while still continuing her love of cutting hair for family and friends.

She is survived by her children, daughter Paula Barrett of Roswell, NM, son Tony Dillon (Trenda) of Lewisville, TX, son Mike Dillon (Leigh) of Clovis, NM and daughter Brenda Dillon of Farmington, NM, her sister Stella de la Paz of Warr Acres, OK, her grandchildren, Chance Barrett, Katelyn Barrett, Gage Dillon, Hannah Dillon, Mathew Dillon (Kate-Lynn), Mikayla Molina (Eduardo), Jessica Dillon, Audra Dillon and Devon Dillon, her great grandchildren, Liam Dillon, Tyler Girard (Sabrina), Scarlet Dillon, Finlee Dillon, Gabriela Molina, Julianna Molina, and three great-great grandchildren, her cousins John Tree, Barbara Guzman, and David Tree, her nieces Tempal Killman, Shannon Strauss, and nephew Charles de la Paz. Special thanks to “Tempa-Arie” for the visits and daily phone calls, Jerry Owens for always sending cards for every birthday, Mother’s Day and Christmas, her pen pal Barbara Johnsen, and her dear friend Lucy Cansino.

She is preceded in death by her parents Antonio and Lucinda de la Paz, her brothers Frank de la Paz, Rainey de la Paz and Joe de la Paz, aunts Jenny Tree and Mary Ruiz, Uncle Lalo Aragon, and her favorite son-in-law Michael Barrett.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. She was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church. She always found the time to paint her fingernails, style her hair, put on her “bling” and dress in style. She was a very strong woman all of her life and was a breast cancer survivor. She faced every obstacle head on and persevered through the toughest of times. She was our Queen and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

A viewing will be held on Thursday April 16, 2026, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. The holy rosary will be recited on Friday April 17, 2026, at 9:30am at St Peter’s Catholic Church, followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00am, and procession to South Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers: Mike Dillon, Tony Dillon, Chance Barrett, Devon Dillon, Max Killman, Eduardo Molina