Jack Dempsey Dillard, February 25, 1927 — January 24, 2019

Jack Dempsey Dillard, 91, died Thursday, January 24, in Searcy, Arkansas. Jack was born in Amity, Arkansas, on February 25, 1927, to Albert and Belzonia Sheets Dillard. He was the oldest of three children and grew up in Bergman, Arkansas.

After attending the University of Arkansas for a year, he served in the U. S. Army from June 1945 until July 1947 as a Surgical Technician. He then entered Harding College in Searcy, where he completed his degree in 1948. He and Marjory Lee married on June 3, 1949, the day after Marjory’s graduation from Harding.

Jack and Marjory were both teachers. Jack taught in public schools in Arkansas, New Mexico, and Arizona before serving for many years as Director of Education at the Arizona State Prison in Florence. He retired as Chief Examiner from the Adult Education Division of the Arizona Department of Education.

Jack and Marjory were married over 53 years before her death in 2002. Later that year, he married a long-time friend, Alma Guthrie, and they moved to Searcy to be near his children and grandchildren. Alma died in Searcy in 2014.

Jack was also preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Charles Albert Dillard; and a son-in-law, John Hewitt. He is survived by his sister, Dixie Lee Pettigrew of Grady, New Mexico; his four children: Debby Hewitt of Abilene, Texas; Carol Sparks (Gary) of Wynne, Arkansas; Patti Jo White (Joe) of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Glenn Dillard (Susan) of Searcy; twelve grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. He was an active member and elder of the Broadway Church of Christ (later the Tempe Church of Christ) in Tempe, Arizona, and he attended the College Church of Christ in Searcy.

A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, January 27th, at the chapel at Powell Funeral Home in Searcy. A graveside service will be planned at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona. Memorial contributions may be made to Red River Family Encampment, P. O. Box 8997, Amarillo, TX 79114-8997.

Please indicate “Jack Dillard Memorial” on the check. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Jack Dempsey Dillard please visit our Sympathy Store.

If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.