WAFFORD DILLIARD

MURTA WAFFORD DILLIARD, a resident of the Collierville Community, native Fayette Countian, U.S. Army Veteran and husband of Arthur Lean Dilliard died Thursday afternoon, December 10, 2009 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis where he had been a patient for two weeks. He was 90 years of age and died following an extended illness.

Funeral services for Mr. Dilliard were conducted at 2 P.M. Sunday, December 13th at the Peebles Main Funeral Chapel in Somerville with Rev. Ken Stovall, Pastor of the Grace Independent Church at Rossville, officiating. Interment with Military Honors followed in the Macon Cemetery at Macon, Tennessee. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mr. Dilliard was born January 16, 1919 in the Rossville Community of Fayette County. He was preceded in death by his parents, Johnnie Wafford Dilliard and Annie Elizabeth Chambers Dilliard, early residents of the Moscow and Rossville areas.

He received his education in the Fayette County Public School System and served in the United States Army during the World War II Period.

He was married December 25, 1941 to the former Arthur Lean Houston of the Macon Community, who survives.

Mr. and Mrs. Dilliard were former residents of the Macon Community and had been residents of Collierville for the past twenty-two years.

Mr. Dilliard was employed as a Foreman for the Security Signals Corporation for a number of years before his retirement.

He was a family-oriented person and avid sports fan who will be remembered for his love of fishing and gardening.

In addition to his wife of 67 years, Mr. Dilliard is survived by two sons, Wafford Earl Dilliard (Debbie) of Shreveport, LA and Ronnie Joe Dilliard (Kathy) of Houston, TX; his sister, Rosalyn Dilliard Fortune (Bunks) of Germantown; his brother, William Dilliard of Moscow and three grandchildren: Mark Dilliard of Memphis and Timmy Dilliard and Tammy Sobozian, both of Houston, TX.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Mildred Simmons and two brothers, Clifton O. Dilliard and Kenneth Dilliard.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Chuck Rutledge, Jerry Dilliard, Randy Dilliard, Forrest Fortune, Emmett Kimvle, Johnny Dilliard, Reggie Dilliard, and David Dilliard.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the American Heart Association, 2170 Business Center Dr # 1, Memphis, TN 38134-5626; Phone: (901) 383-5400 or to Grace Independent Church, 5055 Highway 194, Rossville, TN 38066; Phone: (901) 853-5455.