Donna Thanks for sharing this obituary. > > John Dillard > John Taylor Dillard, longtime Newkirk resident, died Tuesday morning, Nov. > 23, 2010 at the Kansas Veterans Home in Winfield Kan. He was 86. > The son of John Wallace and Elsie (Sorrell) Dillard, John was born Sept. > 18, 1924 at Glenwood, Ark. He was the sixteenth of seventeen children. He > grew up in the rural Glenwood area and received his education there. After > finishing school, he worked with his family on their farming operation. > On Oct. 31, 1943, John and Floy Estelle Wright of the Mt. Tabor Community, > Ark. were married in Reno, Nev. where the pair traveled on donated gas > rations. They established their first home in Gridley, Ark., moving a year > later to Mt. Ida. On July 5, 1944 John entered the US Navy, serving during > World War II. He served on the USS Bland, a troop transport in the South > Pacific Islands and was part of the Occupation of Japan, where he was > instrumental in landing troops. On February 18, 1946 he received his > honorable discharge as a Carpenter’s Mate Third Class USNR > John farmed in Arkansas after the war, and then became a plumber. They > moved to Oklahoma, and in 1953 he formed his own plumbing and electrical > business in Pawhuska. In 1962 he moved his family and his business to > Newkirk. He closed his business in 1964 and joined Plumbers and > Pipefitters Union 767, retiring from the union after spending his career > in the plumbing field. Mrs. Dillard died Nov. 13, 2004. > He was a long time member of First Baptist Church in Newkirk where he had > served as deacon. At the time of his death, he held membership at First > Baptist Church of Kildare. At different points in life he enjoyed golfing, > hunting and fishing, making things with his hands, and socializing. > John is survived by his only son, John Michael Dillard and wife Barbara of > Newkirk; three granddaughters Maurisa (Bob) Pruett of Ponca City, Jamie > Blanton of Derby, KS, and Tanya (Sharon) Dillard of Edmond; nine > great-grandchildren: Dawn Beauchamp; Kiefer, Sydney, Mackenzie, and Taryn > Pruett; Emma, Sam, Austin, and Riley Dillard; and two > great-great-grandchildren Kieara and Kamiya Davis. > He was preceded in death by Estelle, his wife of 61 years, his parents, > and siblings. > A graveside service has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27 in the > Newkirk Cemetery. Miller-Stahl Funeral Service is in charge of > arrangements. Mr. Dillard was cremated, and there will be no viewing. > A memorial fund has been established with Hospice Care of Kansas. > Contributions may be made in Mr. Dillard’s name to Hospice at 917 Main St, > Winfield, Kan. 67156 > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ARIZARD-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >