Mary “Paulette” Dillavou

Mary “Paulette” Dillavou, 70, of Clear Lake, died Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, at her home surrounded by family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1001 9th Ave. S., Clear Lake, with the Rev. John Gossman officiating. Inurnment will be at Clear Lake Cemetery.

Following the inurnment, a Celebration of Life will be held from 4-7 p.m. in the Cypress Room, at the Surf Ballroom, 460 N. Shore Dr., Clear Lake.

In lieu of customary remembrances, family suggests memorial contributions to Hospice of North Iowa or St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

Paulette was born April 2, 1950, the daughter of Paul and Patricia (Kelley) Thompson, in Emmetsburg, Iowa. She married Patrick Dillavou on Feb. 14, 1972, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Clear Lake.

Paulette grew up in Emmetsburg, Manson and then graduated from Webster City High School. She began working at the Fort Dodge Hospital before working for Custom Farm Services in Duncombe. In 1970, she moved to Clear Lake, where she worked at Oakwood Care Center and Unisys. Later, she began her own in-home daycare and touched many lives until she retired in 2013.

Paulette was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Clear Lake, and the First Tuesday of Every Month Club. She was an avid sports fan, specifically of the New York Yankees and Iowa Hawkeyes, but also the Iowa State Cyclones for a brief four year period. She enjoyed traveling with Pat to Arizona during the winter and going on her “Sister Weekends”. Most of all, she cherished spending time with her children and grandchildren, attending all of their activities, and taking them for boat rides.

Paulette is survived by her mother, Patricia Thompson, of Clear Lake; husband, Pat Dillavou, of Clear Lake; four children, Zach (Tami) Dillavou, of Forest City, Matt (Jenni) Dillavou, of Clear Lake, Tricia (Steve) Spratt, of St. Louis, Mo. and Josh (Traci) Dillavou, of Overland Park, Kan.; the “Dillavou Dozen”, Josilin, Brea, Shae, Ty, Rian, Avery, Cade, Kacy, Andi, Gus, Hazel and Walter; and nine siblings, Tom (Jeri) Thompson, Roberta (Denny) Henley, Colleen (Robert) Simmer, Mike (Cindy) Thompson, Beth (Jim) Jennings, Bob (Heather) Thompson, Larry (Kim) Thompson, Patrick Thompson and Milissa Whitehurst.

She was preceded in death by her father; parents-in-law, R.H. “Bud” and Shirley Dillavou; and two nieces, Sarah Jennings and Tammy Dillavou.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, masks are required at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and recommended at the Surf Ballroom.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.