Gladys was born April 28, 1929, Gurdon, AR, to Bama Dee Baumgardner (deceased) and James Ellis Bray (deceased) and later adopted by Erskine Donald Dillard and Annie-Lee Vivian Dean Dillard of Gladewater, TX. She graduated from Gladewater High School ’46, received an AA from Kilgore College ’48, Bachelor of Religious Education from Presbyterian School of Christian Education, Richmond, VA ’50; MA from Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX. ’71.
Gladys Ronita Dillard was a Certified Christian Educator for the Presbyterian Church and retired July 3, 1999, as Director of Religious Education for the Department of the Army, Installation Chaplain’s Office, Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Ms. Dillard served over 26 years for the military as a religious education specialist in Fort Sill, OK, Frankfurt West Germany, Fort Dix, NJ, and Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Previous to her employment with the US Army, Ms. Dillard served twenty years as a Director of Christian Education for the Presbyterian Church; eight years in local Presbyterian churches (Houston, Longview, San Antonio, TX and Raleigh, NC) and twelve years as a Presbytery Director of Christian Education (San Antonio-Western-Texas; Corpus Christi-South-Texas; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana). She moved to Abilene, TX, August 1999, where she continued church ministry as a volunteer and began the hobby of oil painting.
She is a member of the Association of Presbyterian Christian Educators and of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, serving as secretary for the local chapter 272, two terms (Sept 2003 and 2004).
As a member of First Central Presbyterian Church, she served monthly at the Presbyterian Food Pantry, weekly at the Medical Care Mission, monthly as an adult class teacher, as Presbyterian Women’s circle chair, and a term as deacon. She also served as reading specialist to the Grades 1 & 2 class at Kenley School for three years.
She was preceded in death by Vivian Dean Dillard, mother; Erskine Donald Dillard, father; Elizabeth Ruth Griffin, sister; Steve Griffin, brother-in-law; Lucion Ray Martin, brother; Frances Ann Dean Johnson, sister.
She is survived by:John Gammons Dillard, brother; Martha Dillard, sister-in-law; Thomas Wayne Bray, brother; Nancy Lou Griffin Kaszynski, niece; Mike Griffin, nephew; Alexander Dillard, nephew: Rachel Dillard Fern, niece; and other nieces and nephews.
The family expresses thanks to the many individuals who cared for Gladys, especially the personnel at Silver Spring and the Kinder Hearts Hospice. For individuals interested in recognizing Gladys’s life and work, please make a contribution to a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
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