LLANO - Mary Jane Dillard died May 20, 2024. She was born in Denton, on April 16, 1941 to William and Frances McDuffie. She graduated from Denton High School in 1959 where she was involved in swimming and drama. Her peers selected her as “Best All Around Girl” in her senior year. She then attended Texas Woman’s University where she graduated with a major in Education. She fell in love with JR; a coach and principal, when he interviewed her for a teaching position at Sterling City High School. He, too, was smitten. He hired her for the job and soon asked for her hand. This began the great love story of her life. They married on Dec. 23, 1968. While they were in Stanton, their son Lance was born on Sept. 28, 1970. After JR retired from education, they moved to Buchanan Dam, where Mary Jane helped him launch a new business in the construction industry.
She loved her career as an educator. She taught reading and language arts and coached UIL One Act Play, as well as other speaking events. Overall, she was in the classroom for thirty-three years and touched the lives of hundreds of students with her passion for literature, her flair for the dramatic, and her love of young people. She retired from Llano Junior High where she had spent many years as part of a loving and tight knit school family.
Mary Jane always loved people and had a deep compassion for others. So, it made perfect sense that after her retirement, Mary Jane embarked on a second career in community service. Mary Jane embraced her neighbors in so many different capacities. First, she worked in the Llano County Attorney’s Office. Additionally, Mary Jane was committed to the county’s children who were served by Child Protective Services. Her membership on the Llano County Child Welfare Board was very important to her, especially at Christmastime. Every year, she gathered up her many friends to spearhead the drive to provide gifts at Christmas for children in foster care, as well as distributing gifts to people in nursing homes who might not receive attention from a loved one during the holidays.
She was a longtime member of Lutie Watkins Methodist Church. Here also, she gave of herself in order to serve others. Mary Jane was a pilgrim on Emmaus Walk # 283. She served on several Emmaus and Chrysalis teams and was the Lay Director of Emmaus Walk # 1106. When Lance was young, Mary Jane began helping with the LOGOS youth program. She took a break to watch him play baseball, but started again when grandsons Blake and Jackson were in the program. She served on the Costa Rica Mission Trip Team in 2012. As part of the Mission Meals Team, Mary Jane helped to start the Community Thanksgiving Meal in 1993 serving the full Thanksgiving experience to hundreds each year. Finally, Mary Jane had a seat on numerous church committees including the planning committee for the Family Life Center.
Who could think of Mary Jane without also thinking of her role in Llano athletics. She loved watching her son, her grandsons, and everyone else’s children compete. Many of you will remember hearing Mary Jane’s signature cheer from the stands of football, basketball, and baseball games “Come on kids!”
Finally, those of you who knew her know of her deep and abiding love for Willie; both the cat and the singer.
Preceding her in death are her parents, her husband of thirty-four years, JR Dillard, and her son Dusty Dillard.
Surviving Mary Jane are: her son, Lance Dillard and wife Jil of Llano; her son David Dillard and wife Fawn of Kingsland; eight grandchildren who lovingly called her “Nonni”: Blake and fiancee Maddie, Jackson, Ethan and fiancee Madi, Emily, Marsha, Melissa, Lori, and Chad, as well as numerous great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to express their thanks for all of those, especially her friends, who gave Mary Jane compassionate care in her final months.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Llano County Child Welfare Board at PO Box 382, Llano, TX 78643 or Hill Country Humane Society at 9150 RM 1431 W, Buchanan Dam, TX 78609.