On December 9, God called home one of his own, Harold Gene Dillard. Born October 5, 1937, he passed away at DeSoto Regional Medical Center with family at his side. He was a faithful Christian and a remarkable son, father, grandfather and friend, and known for always having a smile on his face and kind words.
Harold was a Deacon at First Baptist Church of Pleasant Hill since 1980. He was a welder by trade but spent the last half of his life working for the Sabine Parish Sheriffs Office. He retired after 29 years of dedication to his community and parish including The Sabine Council on Aging.
He was preceded in death by his son, Benjamin Alan Dillard; mother, Wade Rains Dillard; father, Hoyt Clifton Dillard; nieces, Kay Weldon Marsh and Kim Weldon Frost; and nephew, Sonny Dillard.
Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 63 years, Emily Johnson Dillard; sister, Peggy Dillard Weldon and husband, Phillip; brother, Wendell Dillard and wife, Beverly; son, H. Johnson Dillard; daughters-in-law, Brenda Colvin Dillard and Rene Messick Dillard; grandchildren, Amos Dillard and wife, Stacey, Aaron Dillard, Breanna Green and husband, Brandon, Ben Dillard and wife, Amy, Jade LaCombe and husband, Brennon, and Tessa Dillard; and 13 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Johnson Dillard, Amos Dillard, Aaron Dillard, Ben Dillard, Jeff Harris, Brandon Green, Xavier LaCombe and Brennon LaCombe.
Honorary pallbearers were Jack Staton, Guffey Lynn Pattison, Tommy Sandel, Freddie Nash, Berlion Sweet, Donald Bridges, James A. Brumley, Roland Dees and Joseph Free.
Funeral services were held December 13 at First Baptist Church of Pleasant Hill with the Rev. Lynn Burkett officiating. Burial followed in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.