William Harrell Dilliard

William Harrell Dilliard, 98 years young, lifelong resident of Moscow, Tennessee, and most recently living at Grace Healthcare in Cordova, passed away on June 13, 2014.

Services of Remembrance with Military Honors for Mr. Dilliard were conducted at 1 P.M. Tuesday, June 17th at the Peebles Main Funeral Chapel in Somerville with Bro. Walter German of Jackson, Tennessee, officiating. Personal remarks were given by a granddaughter, Amy McClure and a nephew, Charles William Rutledge. Special music was provided by Nova Wade Sticht and Bobby Wade. Interment followed in the Bethlehem Cemetery at Moscow. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes & Cremation Center – Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mr. Dilliard was born November 18, 1915 in the Hays Crossing Community near Moscow. He was preceded in death by his parents, Johnnie Dilliard and Annie Chambers Dilliard. He was a 1932 graduate of Moscow High School and attended Lambuth College for two years. Mr. Dilliard loved his country and was a World War II Veteran in the United States Marines. He was married August 13, 1937 to the former Bertha Belle Wade, who preceded him in death on April 30, 1996 after 58 years of marriage.

Mr. Dilliard was an active member of Bethlehem Methodist Church for over sixty years, where he taught Sunday School, served as Superintendent and was actively involved in the supervision and upkeep of the Bethlehem Cemetery for many years. In later years, after the closure of the Bethlehem Methodist Church, he joined Moscow United Methodist Church, where he continued to be a devoted member including singing in the choir.

Mr. Dilliard was retired from the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, where he was employed for thirty-eight years measuring cotton and was presented a plaque by The Fayette County Board of Equalization in appreciation for his dedicated service.  A Certificate of Appreciation from National Association of State Departments of Agriculture was awarded to him for his exceptional quality, dedication and dependability in the performance of his duties as an Enumerator for the Tennessee Agricultural Statistics Service.

Mr. Dilliard was an avid farmer at Hays Crossing and loved gardening — especially growing and giving vegetables to his neighbors. We suspect that Heaven will have a banner crop of tomatoes under “Uncle Bill’s” and “Bunks’” care. Traveling was a great love of his, and he and Bertha Belle traveled with his sister, Rosalyn, to visit the Holy Land and every state but Hawaii. Bill, notwithstanding his poor health in recent years, never lost his faith nor his winning smile and sense of humor.

Mr. Dilliard is survived by his daughter, Frances Lee Pulliam of Moscow; his sister, Rosalyn Dilliard Rutledge Fortune of Germantown; three grandchildren,  Debra Walters (George) of Bolivar, Ed Pulliam (Joyce) of Moscow and Amy McClure of Moscow. He will be greatly missed but always lovingly remembered as “PawPaw” by his six grandchildren,  Ben Walters, Erin VanVuuren, Damon Pulliam, Kara Milby, Kimberly McClure, Courtney McClure and his four great grandchildren.

In addition to his wife and parents, Mr. Dilliard goes to the Lord’s home to be with his sister, Mildred Simmons; and three brothers, Clifton Dilliard, Wafford Dilliard and Kenneth Dilliard.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were George Walters, Ben Walters, Ed Pulliam, Chuck Rutledge, Shayne Dowdie and Reggie Dilliard.

Honorary pallbearers were Donnie Leggett, Randy Dilliard, Ricky Rutledge and Raymond Dougan.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Bethlehem Cemetery Association, c/o Nancy Leggett, 765 Hays Road, Moscow, TN 38057 or to the charity of the donor's choice.