EMRY SOLOMON DILDAY

Emry Solomon Dilday, 83, of Springfield passed away on June 2, 2025. He was born in Springfield on July 18, 1941; the son of Emry and Violet (Haverley) Dilday. In 1959, he graduated from Parkview High School. He went on to attend Drury University, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. During high school and college summers, he worked as a counselor at YMCA Camp Wakonda. Later, he became Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 210, leading groups on week-long trips to Camp Arrowhead and backpacking trips to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
On July 17, 1965, he married Elizabeth (Betty) Louise Bauer.
His passion was in sports and working with teenagers and student athletes. While in college, he started officiating football. He retired in 2006 after 43 seasons officiating high school football and 36 years at the college level, but remained a registered football official for 61 years. He was a referee for 41 years in high school football and 25 years in college football; officiating roughly 60 games in the state football playoffs of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), including nine state championship games. He worked with numerous officials over the years, but his main crew consisted of Bill Rainey, Larry Stineburg, Ron Snodgrass, Craig Kelley, Dave Sturdivant, Guy Weiland, and Don Claxton.
At the state level, he served as Executive Director for the Southwest Missouri Football Association for 53 years, was a football rule interpreter for 40 years, served as a state football official observer for 26 years, and was a football officials’ liaison coordinator for the Show-Me Bowl for 35 years. At the national level, he served on the National Federation Rules Committee for 20 years, was President of the National Federation Officials Association for 10 years, served as Chair of the National Federation Mechanics Committee for eight years, and was Chair of the National Federation Training Committee for six years.
In addition to his work in high school and college football, he served as rule interpreter in cross country and track and field. He was involved in officiating MSHSAA championship events in softball, baseball, basketball, track and field, and cross country. In 2012, he was the MSHSAA girls track and field official of the year; in 2019, he served as the official starter at the state cross country meet; and in 2020, he was the MSHSAA cross country official of the year.
He was inducted into the Springfield, Missouri Area Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Missouri Football Officials Association Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Federation High School Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1982, he volunteered as an assistant track coach at Springfield Catholic High School in Springfield. This would lead to him becoming a permanent fixture at the high school, driving the bus to sporting events, supervising games as an assistant athletic director, and becoming the girls track head coach. Over the years, he coached hundreds of boy and girl athletes.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Betty Dilday; his sons, William Dilday (Scott Oliphant) of The Villages, Fla. and Robert (Christy) Dilday of Springfield; his daughter, Melissa (Jeff) Facklam of Republic; three granddaughters; three grandsons; and one great-grandson.
A funeral mass was held on Monday, June 9, at Immaculate Conception Church, followed by burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Springfield.
Arrangements were entrusted to the care and direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home in Springfield.