Harry Albert Dillon

Harry Albert “Sonny” Dillon, Age 95Loving husband of Anna Teresa Pavlich Dillon, Harry passed away peacefully at home on Friday, January 13, 2023 in Newnan, GA.He was born in South Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on October 30, 1927, with a shortened left arm, no hand, and only one little finger. No one would have ever known that Harry spent his entire life with a handicap, including him. He never let that be an excuse for failure and lived life as an independent, determined, and successful person without impairment. He ran his own paper stand on Boggs Avenue in the Mt. Washington area of Pittsburgh. He dressed himself and never asked for help, even at 95. Harry graduated from South Hills High School in 1945 and worked as a surveyor for West Penn Power in rural Pennsylvania. His admiration of Engineering and the math, which factored into the physics of cable sag between towers, developed into design and drafting of bridges and mechanical apparatuses for Engineering. He transferred careers and began working at Auburn and Associates Engineering Firm as a Draftsman. He acquired the necessary on the job training to obtain required certifications for Mechanical, Electrical, and Piping Engineering. Harry then transferred to the Blaw-Knox Company and began drafting designs for the various steel industry jobs Blaw-Knox held. In 1962, Harry joined Jacob Engineering and continued expanding his work for them worldwide. He traveled to jobs in Brazil, Portugal, and Spain, completing work as a sub-contractor for global leaders such as U.S. Steel, Bethlehem Steel Corporation, J & L Corporation, ALCOA, Blaw-Knox and Dravo. Harry helped Jacob Engineering grow through the steel boom of the 60s and 70s, while managing the company’s design and construction of their own corporate office building and worldwide headquarters prominently sitting beside the Parkway West (I-376) at the top of Greentree Hill, Pittsburgh, PA. Perhaps you’ve seen the “gold reflective flash cube” at 200 Fleet Street? He retired from Jacob Engineering as Vice President Engineering, in 1991. In retirement, Harry and Anna traveled throughout the lower 48 United States, Canada, and Alaska in a 5th wheel trailer. They hung up their trailer keys around 2012 and in 2015 relocated to Newnan, GA.Harry was predeceased by his parents, Alberta (Snively) Dillon and Harry Weimer Dillon, his sister Sally Kennedy, and brother Richard Dillon. Additionally, Grandchildren Salina Anderson, age 3 (1983) and Phillip Anderson, age 38 (2021) predeceased Pappy. He is survived by his wife of over 58 years, Anna Teresa (Pavlich) Dillon, children Mark (Beth) Dillon, Pamala “PJ” (Jim Rehbein) Dillon, Belinda “Binnie” (Richard) King, grandchildren Caitlin (Randall Blizzard) Dillon, Robin (Christian) Alexander, and Emlianna Grace King. Harry is also survived by children from his first marriage, Barbara (Dave) Bennett, Matthew (Susan) Dillon and Cassandra (Monty) Millward. Grandchildren: Patrick Bennett, Patricia Bennett Grimes, Brent (Rena) Anderson, Jenny Wolfe, Heidi (Patrick) Hile, and Cheryl Dillon. Survivors, in addition, are 22 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.