Thomas Alexander Dillon III "Tad" of Sarasota, FL passed away peacefully on January 27 at the age of 79. Born in Elizabeth, NJ, Tad was the youngest of two children born to Thomas Dillon and Adrienne Hodges. Shortly after he was born, the family moved to Greensboro, NC where he was raised.

Tad graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill in 1966. After graduation, he earned a commission as a 2ndLt in the United States Marine Corps through the Platoon Leaders Course (PLC). Subsequently, Tad attended Navy Flight School and received his "Wings of Gold" (Naval Aviator # T-10626) as a Marine Corps Fighter pilot on 5 July, 1967. Tad completed multiple tours in Vietnam. As a winged aviator, Tad flew the H-53, DC-3, T-2 Buckeye, A-4 Skyhawk, and F-8 Crusader.

After Vietnam, Tad entered the USMC reserves and earned an MBA from Emory University. He was a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with over forty years of experience in institutional equities with organizations such as Merrill Lynch, Salomon Brothers, Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette, UBS, and Ascendiant.

Tad was working in San Francisco when he met Marti. They were married in a small ceremony in their home in Corona Del Mar, CA in 1984. Marti's two sons, Dusty and Paul, from Marti's previous marriage and their daughter, Jeanette, were Tad's family for the forty years that followed. The family moved from California to Larchmont, NY in 1986.

The family's time in Larchmont, NY and Stamford, CT were the golden years. Tad was a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast who was a founding member of the Executives Who Ride motorcycle club from Greenwich CT. He passed on his love of motorcycles to his sons who both became expert riders. In addition, his USMC service as a Naval Aviator strongly influenced Dusty to become a Naval Aviator. Tad was known for his commitment to hard work, integrity, and fairness. All qualities that he strived every day to impart to his children.

Tad is survived by his sons, Dusty (Ryan) Rhodes of Potomac, MD, Paul (Ashley) Rhodes of Newport Beach, CA, daughter Jeanette (Reed) Sutton of Canton, GA, and his ten grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas Dillon, Adrienne Hodges and sister Carol Dillon Howard.

The family will be holding a memorial service for Tad and Marti on March 9 at 10:30 am at the Longboat Island Chapel with a reception to follow at the Sarasota Yacht Club, Sarasota, FL. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider making a donation to the United States Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation in Tad's name.

Tad will be laid to rest with Marti at Pacific View Cemetery in Corona del Mar, CA with military honors.