Dillingham '35
Mike Callahan Dillingham of College Station died on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 at the age of 102. Dillingham had the distinction of being one of the oldest living Aggie Graduates. He was born on Feb. 18, 1912 in Commerce, Texas and graduated from Fort Worth Central High School in 1928 at the age of 16.
Dillingham was a member of the Corps of Cadets and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1935. He was part of the pioneer class of petroleum production engineering graduates. He was also a member of the 1934 Texas A&M Southwest Conference championship baseball team.
After graduation from Texas A&M, he served in the Pacific campaign as a Battery Commander in World War II and served on General MacArthur's staff at the end of the war, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Upon leaving the military, Dillingham had a successful career in the oil drilling business. He started his own drilling company, Dillingham Drilling Co., which he owned and operated in Alice, Texas, until his retirement in 1977.
He spent much of his retired years traveling with his wife, Georgia, to Colorado and Kerrville, Texas, spending time with family, telling old tales of his life experiences, and attending Aggie sporting events where they had the same first deck seats since 1967.
He and Georgia have been very philanthropic towards Texas A&M by supporting the university through several gift annuities and a significant bequest for the Corps of Cadets, in addition to funding multiple General Rudder Scholarships. Dillingham was honored in 2012 with a 100th birthday party by both the Corps of Cadets and the Texas A&M Foundation. He was honored two years later with a 102nd birthday bash.
Dillingham will be lovingly remembered by a multitude of special friends and family, many of whom describe him as a hero and role model and recall stories of big and small events that prove their point. Funeral services were held Jan. 5 at the A&M Church of Christ, and Dillingham was laid to rest in the Aggie Field of Honor in the Memorial Cemetery of College Station.
Memorial donations in honor of Mike Dillingham may be made to the Texas A&M Development Foundation at 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840.