Sidney C. Dillinger

Sidney Clyde Dillinger was born in a sod house on a farm in Sherman County, Kansas, July 3, 1912, to Troy Clyde and Amanda (Thompson) Dillinger. He died October 18, 2008, at the Long Term Care Unit of Jewell County Hospital at the age of 96 years, 3 months, and 15 days. Sidney was the middle child in a family of nine children, and the first boy. When his mother discovered she was expecting, she prayed that if the Lord would give her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. She never told him about this until he had made his own decision to enter the ministry. He was raised in a very devout Christian home where two mottoes dominated the philosophy of the home: “Do only that which you feel is the will of God for you”, and “Here am I, Lord, send me.”

Sidney attended elementary school in a one-room school house, graduated from Brewster High School in 1931, and Kansas Wesleyan University in 1935. He received his BD degree from Garrett Biblical Institute in 1938. His first appointment was in 1933 to the Traer Methodist Episcopal Church, in the former Northwest Kansas Conference.

He was married to Eva Tedrow June 20, 1934, and they had three children: Coralyn Kaufman, a registered nurse, of Mankato, Kansas; Rosalie Menhusen, a former high school teacher, of Mankato, Kansas; and Rollin, who became a United Methodist minister, of Wichita, Kansas. Sidney is survived by his wife, Vesta (McCammon) Dillinger, Mankato, Kansas; son-in-law, Jon Menhusen of Mankato, Kansas; six grandchildren, thirty-one step-grandchildren, two brothers, Troy Dillinger of Colby, Kansas, and Dwight Dillinger of Hays, Kansas, and two sisters, Clarice Blakely of Colby, Kansas, and Olga Schwartzkopf of Wakeeny, Kansas.

Sidney held several conference and district offices, and was the second preacher in the Kansas West Conference to receive the Rural Preacher of the Year Award. He used his horses in youth ministry, and for many years he helped in the church youth camps. Sidney and Eva served in the Kansas West Conference until Eva’s death April 16, 1976, serving churches in Traer, Palco, Wells, Almena, Kensington, Seldon, Dresden, Rexford, Jennings, Bird City, Sharon Springs, Cunningham, Gypsum, Gem, McCracken, Bazine, Ionia, Esbon, and Odessa. In 1966, Sidney was chosen as one of twelve ministers to dramatize how preachers dressed and traveled to conferences two hundred years ago. With Eva’s help he rode horseback from McCracken, Kansas, to Baltimore, Maryland, preaching along the way.

In the fall of 1976, Sidney transferred his conference membership to the Missouri West Conference. He married Hilda Bird, December 25, 1976, and served as a pastor in churches in Osceola, Lowry City, Sheldon and Bronough, Missouri, until his retirement June 1, 1982. During his retirement, they made their home in Bolivar, Missouri, and he served the Flemington-Weaubleau churches for ten years. As part of the celebration of 200 years as a denomination, Sidney and Hilda joined three other people to ride horseback half-way across the continent to tell the story of the Methodist Church and preach an evangelistic sermon. They talked and preached to over 9,000 people and had more than 100 respond to the invitation to come to the church altar for prayer.

In Missouri, he was a state officer of the Optimist Club. In 2007, he received a pin honoring his sixty years as a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Hilda died in 1997. In 1998, Sidney moved to Mankato Kansas, and married Vesta McCammon, June 19, 1999. They enjoyed several winters in Phoenix and traveled to many interesting spots. Though they had only nine and a half years together; they had a deep and abiding love for each other and for God that sustained them through the difficulties of declining health.

A memorial funeral service for the Reverend Sidney C. Dillinger was held Tuesday, October 21, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., at the Harmony United Methodist Church, Mankato, Kansas, with Pastor Dan Dempsey and Pastor Rollin Dillinger, officiating. Music was provided by Lyle Dauner, pianist; Lori Menhusen, soloist, “Amazing Grace”, a group of grandchildren, “Daddy’s Hands;” duet, Allen and Elaine Smith, “Thank You:” and the congregation sang, “The Circuit Rider Preacher” and “Precious Lord Take My Hand.” Inurnment of the cremains was held at 7:30 p.m., at Wichita County Cemetery, Leoti, Kansas. The family suggests memorials to: Harmony United Methodist Church, Kansas Wesleyan University, or Camp Lakeside, be sent in care of the Melby Mortuary, P O Box 384, Mankato, Kansas 66956-0384. Condolences may be sent to www.melbymortuary.com.