Genevieve "Genny" Dillon Colona

Genevieve Dillon Colona

April 22, 1932 – January 18, 2025

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Genevieve Dillon Colona, age 92, was called to her eternal home in heaven on January 18, 2025.

She was born on April 22, 1932 in Tylertown, Mississippi where she grew up on a dairy farm with her parents and six siblings. After graduating high school, she began working for South Central Bell as a Telephone Operator. She was later transferred to Hammond, Louisiana where she roomed with her sister who was attending Southeastern University. While living in Hammond, she was introduced to her husband, Johnny (John), on a blind date. They were married for sixty-three years and had three children. 

Genny (as she was known) was a woman of strong faith who loved God and serving Him and people. She was a member of Parkview Baptist Church where she served on the Senior Adult Council and the Nursing Home Ministry team for many years. Ironically, she passed away at Landmark I Nursing Home, one of the nursing homes she visited every week with the ministry team years ago. Before joining Parkview Baptist Church, she was a member of Jefferson Baptist Church where she taught a youth girls’ Sunday School class and prepared the Wednesday night fellowship suppers for about 125 people. She was the “chief cook and bottle washer” with some help from a few ladies and her youngest daughter, Patty, who had to often help because mom said so. 😊 

She loved gardening and always had beautiful flower beds and potted flowers and plants. She was a fantastic cook and baker. She made sure that she prepared specific dishes for Sunday dinners based on every family member’s favorites. Holiday meals included at least three meat entrees and a minimum of ten side dishes. She always had wonderful desserts baked for Dad who loved sweets. She very often baked cakes to take to grieving families, ill friends, or to someone who just needed a caring gesture. This was a personal ministry for her that brought her joy. She is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, John Colona, her father, John David Dillon, her mother, Ethel Mae Dillon, brother, Doyle Dillon, brother Ben Dillon, brother, Tom Dillon, sister, Doris Mainord, sister, Mildred Conerly, grandson, Ryan Colona, and his wife, Cheramie, grandson, Preston Colona and daughter-in-law, Mary Colona.

She is survived by son John David Colona, daughter Debbie Colona, daughter Patty Colona Cook and her husband Trey, granddaughter Katy Cook Spinosa and her husband Trenton, granddaughter Jenny Cook, great-granddaughter Calla Colona, great grandson, Luca John Spinosa, sister Emogene Shuttleworth, and numerous nephews and nieces. 

She was fondly nicknamed “Dude” by her dad when she was born. He would tell visitors to come inside and see his little Dude. All of her brothers and sisters called her “Dude” their whole lives and her nieces and nephews called her “Aunt Dude”.

Visitation will be at Resthaven Funeral Home at 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge, LA from 9:00 – 11:00AM on Monday, January 27, 2025, with the funeral services at 11:00AM. Burial will follow the service in Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

The family would like to give special recognition and heartfelt thanks to the nurses and CNAs at Landmark I Nursing Home for the love and care that they consistently provided to mom.