C.N. "Shorty" Dillard

Shorty was born in San Diego, CA during WWII, as his father took a job at Consolidated Aircraft.  After WWII ended, the family returned to McKinney, Texas where Shorty resided most of his life. He graduated McKinney High School in 1962, and immediately pursued a job as a machinist.  He was accepted into the apprentice program at Texas Instruments in Richardson and worked there for 26 years until his machinist group was closed.

While he was at TI, Shorty built military parts during the Vietnam War as well as a lens for a camera that was used on the moon and is still on the moon to this day. Shorty then changed careers and went to work as a Jailer for the Collin County Sheriff’s office where he served for 5 years.  While working at the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, Shorty began working on his Associate Degree at Grayson County College and graduated in May 1998 with an Associate Degree in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. In January 1997 Shorty began work with EDS in Plano as a building engineer utilizing his college education. He formally retired in July 2005.

Shorty met the love of his life, Linda Gail Hamlin in September 1997 and they married on May 23, 1998. During their almost 25-year marriage, they traveled the southern portion of the United States from the East Coast to the West, straight up the central plains to the central part of Montana. Visiting friends along the way as well as searching out many cemeteries, finding grave markers of family members from long ago and meeting new cousins on these adventures.  After Shorty retired, he built beautiful wall clocks, wood rocking horses for his grandsons and other children, along with helping Linda repair furniture in her antique business they started together in January 2014.  Shorty loved antique cars and enjoyed “tinkering” with his 54 Ford Customline. He most enjoyed riding his old 1958 John Deere Tractor mowing the acreage at home. Shorty began to volunteer at Mustang Creek Retirement Home in August 2016, taking his guitar and a song book, singing old hymnals to the residents.  He was well loved by the residents.  Shorty never met a stranger and if you met him, you most likely heard a joke or piece of history that led into him telling you about his Lord and Savior Jesus.  He loved the Lord and wanted everyone to know about Jesus.  Shorty has friends all across America thanks to his personality and Facebook.  Shorty loved making new friends. Shorty was always willing to offer to help others, even when his health was failing, he still wanted to help. Shorty fought the good fight against cancer for almost 5 years when the Lord called him home.

Shorty was proceeded in death by his daughter Cherlyn Renee’ Dillard, mother Alyne Jewel Jones, father Wallace Jesse Dillard, brother Walton Glynn Dillard and sister Norma Ruth Dillard Baxley.

Shorty Dillard is survived by his wife of almost 25 years, Linda Hamlin Dillard, sons Jeffery Neil Dillard (Sheryl Dillard) and William Alan West (MaKenzie West); daughters Lecya Janak (John Janak) and Shelly Trammel; grandsons Trevor Janak, Rookie West, Hunter Dillard, Chase Dillard, and Brandon Freeman; granddaughters Brittanie Gore and Lainey Young; and many nieces and nephews.  

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at Cornerstone Baptist Church, 2242 W. Lucas Rd. Lucas, TX, with visitation at 1pm followed by a church service at 2pm.  Graveside services will be held at Wilson Chapel Cemetery, 100 Chapel Lane, Lowry Crossing, TX.

Donations made be made to St. Jude’s Hospital in Shorty’s name.