Mary Louise Dillard, 83, passed away on April 09, 2025 in Garner, NC.
Mary was born on January 20, 1942 to Albert Herman and Marjorie Quick Sagehorn.
Mary is survived by sons Christopher Dillard, and Anthony Dillard.
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In loving memory
Mary Louise Dillard
January 20, 1942 – April 9, 2025
Cary, NC
Memories in photographs
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Planted 1 memorial tree
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ First Cremation Society
She was one tough cookie but a softie on the inside. I could always count her to tell it like it is and I needed that often. She loved the kids and had their respect and mine of course. She was a blessing to any students who had her and she made me a better Mustang. I’ll never forget when I broke the news to her about being pregnant. Her face lit up with the biggest smile and she always checked on me after that. I asked her to keep it a secret for a while and she guarded that secret with care, even giving me a wink in the hallway when passing. She’ll always have a special place in my heart. God bless you Mary Lou. You made our corner of the world a better place and impacted many young lives. Love you Ms Dillard ❤️
WOW. It would take An Eternity to share just One Memory 💕. Mary Lou proved to me that Friends are chosen not by Race, but by Character. I really regret that the Sister Hood that She created with the Old North Shore Gang didn't get to be with Her at the End. My Memory of Her will always be in my Heart ❤️
Mrs. Dillard was always saying study exinomics! I was just thinking king about her these past few weeks…now I know why. Prayers and Condolences for family and friends. 🩷~ Deanna (Martin) Lee NS Class “83
Ms. Dillard was one of my favorite teachers at Northshore High School (I’m a 1980 graduate). I think of her at times and am grateful to have known her! Prayers for her family at this time. She will not be forgotten.
Mrs Dillard was a tough cookie, and you didn’t play in her class. She had to be to keep us knuckle heads in line. But she had our respect. She was my Govt teacher and a good one. Anytime I reminisce on my senior year, her and her class alway cross my mind. Prayers for her family and friends RIP Mrs Dillard
I have so many amazing memories that I owe to Ms Dillard. I was honored to be one of her Government students from the North Shore Senior Class of 1980. There is not an election season that goes by that I don't share memories of how she encouraged us not only to become registered voters but to become active voters. She taught us the importance of researching candidates as well as volunteering with campaigns. All of these years later, not only do I work for an elected official but I serve as a Harris County Precinct Chair. An Election Judge, a member of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature and a proud Volunteer Deputized Voter Registrar....ALL thanks to her passion for teaching. Sending prayers of comfort not only to her sons, but to everyone whose life was touched by her. Memories of her will definitely live forever.
Planted 5 memorial trees
In loving memory of Mary Lou Dillard. A wonderful friend, great teacher and a beautful soul. You are greatly missed by your dear friends from NSSH.
Shared photographs
I remember the first time I noticed Mary Lou Dillard. It was the first year I taught summer school and I was feeling overwhelmed by the pace of instruction. I went to the teacher's lounge on break and there she sat munching on Wheat Thins, the center of attention in the lounge and laughing with her infectious laugh. It was several years later before our great friendship began. I think our friendship is best described by one of our earlier adventures. We went to dinner in Baytown and then were on our way to the North Shore football game at the Baytown Stadium. In those days, Baytown wasn't as developed and we somehow got lost and it took us over an hour of driving to find the stadium. Of course, the whole time we are driving around we are laughing and having a great time. Her daddy called while we were looking for the stadium and asked how we could spend an hour driving in Baytown. He said there isn't an hour of roads in Baytown. Mary Lou was quick to respond we are taking the circuitous route. Our friendship definitely took the circuitous route, it was long, complicated and a wonderful adventure along the way. She was my biggest supporter when I needed her and I learned so much about how to be thoughtful to others from her. She was smart, she loved big words and she had a huge vocabulary. We had many good laughs over her fancy choice of words. We could spend hours shopping, going out to eat, or just discussing our challenges in life. She was a wonderful friend and I have fabulous memories of her kindness, love, beauty and especially her laughter. It was a wonderful ride Mary Lou and you are greatly missed. Sending my love that you will rest in peace.
Mary Lou was a mentor to me as a young teacher and one of my best friends for over 30 years. She and I just clicked when I was a first year teacher at the middle school and we realized that we had the same picture of Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I.) hanging up in both of our classrooms! Fifteen years later she helped change my life by helping me move up to teach at the high school. She took me under her wing as a new government teacher and I am so grateful to have been mentored by the best. Mary Lou was a dedicated teacher who loved her job, her students, and her school. She was a force of nature that persevered through difficult times and was determined that even cancer would NOT break her. Mary Lou was a huge part of my life and the lives of her " North Shore Sisters". She will forever have a place in our hearts and we pray that she is now at rest and found the peace so well deserved. Love and miss you my friend.
She was a wonderful boss and such a caring friend! She always made me smile! She helped me as a new teacher and she was a part of some of my most monumental events. She shared in my wedding and both of the births of my children. Because of her we had an awesome social studies group! The great coaches always kept us laughing and she was the ringleader! I will never forget her!💕 So many treasured memories!
She was a great teacher. Her classes were one class so many of us loved going to. She taught us government where we could understand, plus she was a great teacher to have. Our prayers 🙏 go out to her family and friends
I was blessed to have this woman more than once a day. I was her social studies aide and her government student. She was one of a kind. It was because of her that I got to experience Washington D.C. with Close Up. I didn't have the funds at that time because it was just me and mom. Thanks to her I got sponsored to go. I will never forget that wonderful person, teacher, and confidant.
One of the best decisions in my life was to make the move from NSMS to NSHS to teach 11th gr US history mainly because I had the privilege of working with Mary Lou Dillard. I think Tricia described her best as a true “force of nature”. She was one of the most intelligent women I have ever known. I grew so much as a teacher and as a woman because of her. She was a warrior when she needed to be, but she instinctively knew which battles were worth the fight. I still remember and try to live by many of her phrases she used to teach life lessons. On a lighter note, many years ago she convinced me to finally install a dishwasher in my old Heights bungalow. I’ll always remember her screaming “Whaaat, you don’t have a dishwasher!!!” I was grateful to Mary Lou every single night when I loaded it. Thank you Mary Lou. She loved completely. I was blessed to be one of her many friends she loved. I will always remember sharing French vanilla coffee with her every morning, eating coconut cream pie on special occasions, sharing butterfingers with her on Halloween nights on my front porch swing, and laughing about so many, many things over the years. She was a someone that I knew I could count on through any crisis and was someone that shared every happy occasion in my life. She truly treasured her friendships. One day recently I kept thinking about her wondering if she was still alive. The next morning as I was sitting in my backyard a female cardinal flew in my backyard holly tree. She stayed there a few minutes. That night Anne called to tell me Mary Lou had passed. I remember after my mother passed I was telling Mary Lou months later that I might be going crazy because I would begin crying at the strangest times. She told me that it was just my mother visiting me to make sure I was ok. I was just feeling my mother’s presence. I believe Mary Lou was letting me know she is ok. I believe Mary Lou will be visiting us all to make sure we are ok. I know she is in a better place and in peace. I will be forever grateful for her love and friendship.
Josie Memories of my friendship with Mary Lou is a treasure that I will always cherish. We cannot feel the loss of Mary Lou’s life without first feeling the blessing of having her as a friend. Rest in peace my friend. 🌷