A grand ole soul, James Robert Dillard traversed the far banks of Jordan from his residence in the Endville Community on Monday, October 9, 2023 after a period of declining health. He was 77 years old. James or James Robert, as many called him, was a country gentleman whose life was devoted to his Lord, his late wife, Josephine, and to his extended family and friends. James loved the land, the outdoors and was a caretaker of cows, dogs, mules, chickens and other of God’s creatures on his land. Born in Pontotoc Co. on Jan. 7, 1946 to the late James Edward Dillard and Kathleen Stokes Dillard McCarty, he spent his working life at Penn Tire in Tupelo and Piper Impact Metal Extrusion Company in New Albany. Always fun loving and a practical jokester and extraordinary trader, James loved to garden, tend his home, enjoy conversation with family, neighbors, and friends everywhere or a “fence post” if there was no one to talk to. He enjoyed bird and rabbit hunting. A Christian, James enjoyed his Church and was a member of the Endville Baptist Church at the time of his death. James was a deacon at several churches in his lifetime. He and his late wife, Josephine, never had children but they both had servant hearts and spent lots of time with other children and tending to the needs of the sick and elderly. Josephine’s death was a crucial setback for James Robert as his health began to decline shortly after her death on Oct. 29, 2019.
A service celebrating his life will be held at 2 PM Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023, at Endville Baptist Church with Bro. Kerry Powell and Bro. Matt Russell officiating. Private burial will follow in Sherman Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11 AM-service time on Thursday only at the Church. Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo Chapel is honored to be serving their friends.
James Robert is survived by his primary caretaker, Sandra Cochran and husband, Hugh of Belden; his sister, Kathy Kelly, and brother, Mike McCarty; several nieces and nephews and their families; special close neighbors and devoted friends, Kenny and Letitia Gassaway, Angie Sennett and Karen Nichols and Mike Coker. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Josephine “Josie” Dillard, his parents and a brother, David McCarty.
Memorials may be made to Endville Baptist Church, 115 Endville Rd., Belden, MS 38826. Condolences may be emailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net.
