C. DANIEL DILLMAN

C Daniel Dillman, 90, of DeKalb, IL, passed away on April 21, 2024.

He was a lifelong educator who was passionate about teaching and about baseball.  

Dan was a distinguished professor of Geography at Northern Illinois University, where he taught for more than 40 years. Dan taught undergraduates and graduate students, and he enjoyed his involvement with the honors program. In his post-retirement years he and his wife, Joanne Dillman, volunteered with NIU’s Lifelong Learning center, planning  and teaching courses. 

He grew up in Detroit, MI, and attended Northwestern High school, where he excelled in academics, participated in student government, and played baseball. The highlight of Dan’s young life was winning an essay competition to become a bat boy for the Detroit Tigers, an experience he wrote about in his non-fiction book, Hey, Kid. After retiring from NIU, he enjoyed giving talks on baseball at Oak Crest, hosting a monthly radio show, “A Little of This and a Little Of That,” and spending time with his baseball club friends who loved the history and details of the game as much as he did. 

Dan attended the University of Michigan, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and a doctorate degree in Geography and where he met his wife, Joanne. After post-doc work and teaching assignments in Texas, Illinois, and Wisconsin, Dan and Joanne settled in DeKalb with their young children. Dan shared his love of sports with his children, who all played sports at DeKalb schools. He also coached both of his sons’ childhood baseball teams. He had a brief theatrical career when he joined the cast of Peter Pan in NIU’s 1976 production  when his son, Christien, who was in the play, volunteered his dad when the director mentioned that they needed a few extra pirates. Dan reveled in his children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leland and Katherine Dillman, and is survived by his wife, Joanne Dillman, his children, Christien (Maribeth) Dillman, Erika Dillman, and Evan (Beatriz) Dillman, and his grandchildren, Maddie Kubiak, Jack Dillman, Alexandra Dillman, and Julia Dillman.

Private service and interment Sunday, April 28th 2024.Celebration of Life for Family and Friends Sunday, April 28th 2024 at Faranda’s from 1pm – 4pm.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in their name may be made to DeKalb County CASA.

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