Getting to Know…
With
buildings on this church campus ranging from ten years to nearly a century in
age, repairs are a constant problem. We are blessed by the willing and
knowledgeable Trustee Tom Dilley and his gracious wife Pat to keep things in
order.
As an elementary student, Tom attended Novella Robert’s Sunday School class at the old church downtown. One of four siblings, he moved with his parents Avery and Mae Dilley four times before graduating from Analy. After SRJC, Tom earned a degree in Police Administration from Sacramento Stare. Following his military service, Tom joined the Sunnyvale Public Safety Department for a 28-year career, retiring in 1992.
Pat was born in Iowa and raised in Nebraska. She came to San Francisco to visit her brother and met Tom. They were married in 1964 and raised two sons in Sunnyvale. When one son got a job at Great America, he convinced Pat to join the staff where she worked in the accounts payable department for five years.
Avery and Mae Dilley had a Christmas tree farm off Mill Station Road and when they moved into town, Tom and Pat built a new home on the property. Tom was his own contractor, commuting to Sunnyvale for work and doing the finish carpentry on his days off. They moved into their new home in 1990 and joined our congregation in 1992.
Tom is often called to the church for all kinds of problems concerning facilities. Once his cell phone rang and the security company asked him to come check out an alarm at the church – Tom had to explain that he and Pat were on vacation in Nebraska!
Ken McHugh and Tom Larssen are also willing helpers with church repair projects. Maintenance such as cleaning the rain gutters on Memorial Hall was a recent Saturday job. Tom has developed a call list of repair services for jobs that need professional work and for the times he is away. “Away” for Tom is traveling with Pat or fly-fishing with his cronies. Tom is also an active Rotarian.
Pat has helped Tom on many projects and contributed her accounting talents as our church Receiving Treasurer for three years. She is currently in her second term as treasurer of Women’s Fellowship. In her spare time, Pat likes to read and knit. The Dilley’s have a wonderful garden and are very generous with flowers and produce and they both enjoy church actives, especially youth programs.
The congregation is indebted to both Pat and Tom for everything they do. THANK YOU!
Elyse Mengle
Moderator
