Barbara Dillard Sheppard Bell
Barbara Dillard Sheppard Bell, 82, of Dalton, Georgia, passed away Monday, May 28, 2018 at her home.
She was the widow of Wayne E. Bell, Sr. and was preceded in death by her father, James Christopher Dillard; mother, Margaret Dillard; and brother, Wayne Brock Dillard.
Barbara was an active member of Christ the King Lutheran Church since moving to Dalton. She was retired from Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Barbara graduated in 1954 from Greer High School in S.C. She later received her B.A. (summa cum laude) as well as an M.Ed. from Mercer University. She also earned a Master’s degree in Literature and Philosophy from the Institute of Liberal Arts at Emory University while serving as coordinator of the Freshman Seminar Program at Mercer. In 1991 she left Mercer and married Dr. Wayne Bell, academic dean at Dalton Junior College, now Dalton State College. Wayne died in 1996.
Survivors include her son, Barry of Oakland, Ca.; daughter, Sandra (Jeff) of Alpharetta, Ga.; sister, Sandra (Ken) of Greer, S.C.; brother, Jimmy (Diana) of Greer, S.C.; sister-in-law, Kathleen of Colorado; two step-sons, Wayne (Donna) of Dalton, and Walter of Atlanta; four step-grandchildren, two nephews, five nieces, four step-great-grandchildren, two godchildren; Dr. John B. Sheppard, father of her children; and very special friend, Frank Gordon.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 2, at 11 a.m. from Christ the King Lutheran Church in Dalton with the Rev. Dr. John Rossing officiating.
Visitation will be Saturday from 10-11 a.m. at the Church.
Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Greer, S.C. on Sunday, June 3, at 1 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Rossing officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Christ the King Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 1852, Dalton, GA 30722, The Wayne E. Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund, Dalton State College Foundation, Inc., 650 College Dr., Dalton, GA 30720, or The Joseph Hendricks Minority Scholarship, University Advancement, Mercer University, 1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, GA 31207.