Barnard Malcolm Dillard

Barnard Malcolm Dillard, age 87, of Dillard, Georgia, lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease at home, on Sunday, July 3, in the presence of his beloved family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Barnard Edward Lee Dillard and Curtis Louise Malcom, and a brother, Joseph Franklin Dillard.  Malcolm is survived by his wife of 60 years, Charlotte Ann House Dillard of Rome, Georgia; his two children Zack Dillard (Karin) of Gainesville and Carrie Kuehne (Brent) of Dillard; his grandchildren Nathan (Hartley), Nicholas, Rachel Anne, Rebecca Dillard and Jessalyn Kuehne.

Malcolm was born on December 24th, 1934, and joked that he “really ruined my Mom’s Christmas that year!”  He was a graduate of Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in 1952 and later obtained a degree in Forestry from the University of Georgia in 1956.  In addition, he was proud to have served his country in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959.  Most of his time was spent in Northern Italy where he was attached to the Honest John Rocket Battalion.

During his working career, Malcolm worked for Georgia Kraft in Rome, Georgia where he eventually met his lovely wife, Charlotte.  They were married in July of 1961 and set up their home in Marietta where their first child was born.  Then, in 1965, they moved to Fairburn, where he was known and loved as “Chick” Dillard.  Malcolm took a job with the Georgia Department of Education as a Vocational Forester to work with Agriculture Teachers all over the state.  Throughout this time, he was privileged to make many friends and to help select and train the Georgia FFA team for the National Forestry Contest in Kansas City, Missouri.  Under his leadership, Georgia participated and won the national contest three different times and never came in less than third place.

Malcolm was of the Christian faith, accepted Christ at the age of nine, and was ordained as deacon at the First Baptist Church of Fairburn, Georgia.  After moving back to Rabun County in 1996, he returned to the church of his upbringing, Dillard United Methodist.  There, he became an elder and was instrumental in seeing the current annex to the sanctuary built and paid for.

Perhaps he was best known for the Dillard Christmas Tree Farm which he chartered in 1962 and developed for over 40 years.  What began as a small family business, turned into a large wholesale operation where he sold trees all over the southeast.  In December of 1985, he donated a large Norway Spruce for the annual tree-lighting ceremony of the Governor’s Mansion during the tenure of Joe Frank Harris.  Furthermore, people would drive from miles away to Rabun County for their own choose-and-cut tree.  After discontinuing his oversight of the farm in 2008, Malcolm continued to receive phone calls from seasonal visitors for many years.

When he was not busy with work or his trees, Malcolm enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.  Whether it was supporting his children or grandchildren at athletic events, dance recitals, or getting coffee at Rabun County Bank, he was always fun to be around and never met a stranger.  One of his greatest honors was to have been inducted into the Blue Ridge Mountains chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution along with his son, Zack, in 2004.

Visitation will be held at Beck’s Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 6th, from 6 – 8 pm.  Then, on Thursday, July 7th, another visitation from 1 – 2 will be followed by the funeral at Dillard United Methodist Church at 2:00.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association for research and development.  Address as follows:  41 Perimeter Center East Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30346.