Douglas Dillon Eastwood Jr.

Douglas Dillon Eastwood Jr. surrendered his life into the loving arms of Jesus on July 11, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the result of complications from a pulmonary embolism.  Dillon was born in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 1969 to Douglas Dillon Eastwood Sr. and Sarah McLaurin.  He spent his early years in Maryland before coming to Texas as a high school senior, where he graduated from Round Rock High School.  Dillon had two younger sisters, Abigail Laurin and Elizabeth Robin. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1990 as a corpsman and served in the Gulf War, ending his service in 1994.  He married and had three children, Amanda Kaye Eastwood, Jason Dillon Eastwood, and Ashley Kaitlyn Eastwood.

Dillon was a perpetual student, beginning with medical training as a hospital corpsman at the Naval School of Health Sciences, in San Diego, Calif., from which he graduated as valedictorian in 1995. He continued his paramedic training with the military at Low Country EMS in Charleston, South Carolina, from 1993-1994, followed by earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Missions from Jackson College of Ministries in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1999.  He was an undergraduate at Texas State University, Baylor University, and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.  He graduated and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Scott & White School of Nursing at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Temple, Texas, in 2016.  In 2020, Dillon began working on his Master or Science in Nursing to become certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner, and he already had plans to pursue his doctorate.

After the military, Dillon worked as an EMT-Paramedic with Austin-Travis County EMS and Williamson County EMS from 1995-2009, and also was a 911 dispatcher for Austin Police Department.  Upon graduation from nursing school, he served as an ICU nurse in Fort Mojave, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada.  At Giving Home Health Care in Las Vegas, Dillon served in admissions, as the Director of Nursing, and as a clinical researcher in patient development.  Most recently, he was working in the VA of Southern Nevada’s Healthcare System in Las Vegas, where he delighted in serving veterans and hearing their stories.

As an ordained minister of the gospel, Dillon served on multiple mission trips, including several to Bangladesh, Haiti, Nigeria, and Mexico.  He surprised even his family by having picked up Spanish in addition to speaking French, and he preached to Spanish-speaking oil-rig workers in their own language while pastoring in Luling, Texas.

Dillon could fix anything.  He loved the beach and longed to live on an island.  He teased people he loved, and he listened to old-time gospel music to soothe his soul.  Since childhood, he had a passion for cooking succulent foods and quickly became an exquisite cook. He always ensured that any guest entering his home would be nourished physically and spiritually. A man of many talents.

In February of 2012, Petra Carey came into Dillon’s life, and they married in August of 2013.  He captivated her with his minivan, his Axe Body Spray, and their shared passion for missions.  As a couple, Dillon and Petra charmed strangers and friends with their devotion to each other and their happiness together.  He encouraged her as she completed a seminary degree at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and she was his champion through nursing school.  Dillon and Petra brought out the best in each other, and their last week together on this earth was their best.

In the tapestry of Dillon’s life, the constant thread was his love for God.  Through dark days and times of celebration, Dillon walked with God.  Sometimes he wrestled with his Maker, and sometimes he rested in exhausted trust.  Always, Dillon sought to be God’s man.

Dillon is survived by his wife Petra Carey Eastwood, his parents, Doug and Sarah Eastwood, sister Laurin Eastwood and her partner Zachary Edwards, sister Robin Larson and her husband Jack Yancey, children Amanda, Jason, and Ashley Eastwood, nieces and nephews Kendra Purdy, Shana Eastwood, Christian Larson, Melanie Larson, and Briley Yancey.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the non-profit organization Straw To Bread at www.StrawToBread.org. This organization serves the poorest of the poor in rural western Kenya. Its cause ensures orphans and elders are fed and have access to clean drinking water, that orphans receive an education, and more.  Donations made on Dillon’s behalf will go toward scholarships for the orphans. As a man who loved learning and growing in his profession, Dillon would take great delight in seeing that opportunity made available to those whose advantages are limited simply because of where they were born. More information also is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/m10w8wb0h8I.

All of our friends/family in Las Vegas are aware of tomorrow’s service, but just to make it official.

Memorial services for Dillon are scheduled in Las Vegas, Nev., and Harker Heights, Tex.

Nevada: 10 a.m. Saturday, July 17, 2021, at Praise Tabernacle at 7570 Peace Way, Las Vegas, NV., 89148

Texas: 2 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021, at First Church of Harker Heights at 2314 Indian Trail, Harker Heights, TX., 76548