Joyce Dillon estate donates $10,000 to Bonner County CASA

North Idaho CASA officials are announcing a $10,000 donation to the Bonner County CASA program from the estate of Joyce Dillon.

Generosity was high on the list for this lifetime flight attendant, said Kristin Ludwig, director of development for North Idaho CASA, noting her life ended too soon when she passed away in late July 2020 after a brief illness at 76.

The career flight attendant for United Air Lines flew the friendly skies for 56 years, moving to Sandpoint in the early 1990s. “Joyce loved her job and would commute to San Francisco for the last few decades of her career, Ludwig said in a press release announcing the donation. “She always said she would keep working as long as it was fun. She enjoyed layovers for shopping and sightseeing, chatting with passengers and the camaraderie with her flying partners.”

Having no close living relatives, Ludwig said Dillon’s friends were her family. “She was a wonderful cook and would throw amazing dinner parties,” Ludwig said in the press release. “She was a talented gardener and created a magical space of beautiful trees and flowers at her home. She was a lover of animals, especially her cats. She supported many of the non-profit organizations in Bonner County.”

CASA supports trained advocates for over 400 child abuse and neglect victims in North Idaho. Advocates investigate child protection cases, represent the child’s best interest in court and help find them a safe home with a forever family. Because of generous donors like Dillon, Ludwig said CASA is able to recruit, train and retain enough advocates to keep fighting for every child victim.

Information: NorthIdahoCasa.org