Cecelia Pearl (Stoliper) Dilley

Cecelia Pearl (Stoliper) Dilley was born in Wellsville, Ohio, on March 8, 1931.  She graduated from Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky where she earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology. She married Russell Dean Dilley on June 6, 1953, after which they spent a year in Cuba teaching in the Methodist School at Santa Cruz del Norte.  On returning to the United States, her husband entered Garrett Theological at Evanston, Illinois where he earned his Master of Divinity.  They lived in Marion, Indiana and were blessed with two children during this time, Margaret and Mark.  Upon graduation, they made application to the Board of Global Ministries of the Methodist Church to serve as missionaries. They spent 9 months in the Spanish Language School in San Jose, Costa Rica, after which they were assigned to Cochabamba, Bolivia for four years.  Cecelia taught for one year at the Instituto Metodista in Cochabamba, prior to the birth of their twin daughters, Lidia and Licia.

Returning to the United States in 1965, they were assigned to the First United Methodist Church at Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  During this time, they also adopted two children, Beka and Sara.  In 1968, Cecelia entered and won the Mrs. South Dakota pageant.  Her husband was then chosen by Bishop James Armstrong as assistant at the area office in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  Upon moving to Aberdeen, she enrolled at Presentation College and earned her degree as a Registered Nurse.  She served as a surgical nurse at Dakota Midland Hospital.  To further advance her career, she received her Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota in 1977, and was named Director of Nursing at Presentation College.

During this time, she had the opportunity to serve on the United Methodist Commission on Relief (UMCOR) team to Guatemala following the earthquake in 1978.  She was able to use both her skills in nursing to provide aid, as well as her fluency in Spanish to interpret for the doctors.

In 1980, they moved to Bismarck, North Dakota which was their home for the next six years.  She developed the Wellness Program for the hospital in Bismarck.  In 1986, her husband was asked to come to the Iowa Annual Conference, where he served as senior pastor of the 1,600 member Faith United Methodist Church until 1999, when he passed away.  During her time in Humboldt, Cecelia continued her nursing career as well as utilizing her fluent Spanish skills to serve as interpreter for both medical and legal matters for the Spanish-speaking migrant community.  And, then finished her career serving as a Spanish-speaking interpreter for the Humboldt School District. 

Cecelia was an accomplished seamstress, musician and had a flair for exceptional dinner parties.  She began playing the violin at a very young age with an extraordinary talent.  She was known for always playing the song “O Holy Night” at the Christmas Eve services and continued this tradition until her early 80’s.  She thoroughly enjoyed her nursing career, as well her opportunity to travel and live in Bolivia. She and her husband would often say, “if you ever have the chance to travel aboard, go for it and it will be a life experience.”  This passion for travel started when she was a young girl and she was able to travel the country with her parents, speaking fondly of those memories.  She kept that passion and passed it along to her family, who to this day still enjoy a great mountain hike.  One of her favorite songs was “Climb Every Mountain,” which she accomplished in all aspects of her life.

Cecelia Dilley passed away December 13, 2021, at Elk Ridge Assisted Living in Perham, Minnesota, at the age of 90 years.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Pearl Stoliper, her husband, Russell Dilley, and her grandson Noah Lukach.  She is survived by her six children: Margaret Jackson of Maplewood, Minnesota; Mark Dilley of Salem, South Dakota, Lidia (Greg) Jacobson of New York Mills, Minnesota, Licia (Greg) Lukach of Mahomet, Illinois, Beka Dilley of Fort Dodge, Iowa and Sara Dilley of Ames, Iowa; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  

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