Jean Zimmerman Dillard

Jean Zimmerman Dillard, 79, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, passed away on January 27, 2022.

Jean was a fun-spirited, head-strong, feisty, and proud woman. She was always concerned with taking care of others and never wanted to be the center of attention. She was a “take-charge” kind of person. She was a fighter. She was generous. She held close those she loved, and she told them how she felt. She had a cackling laugh that anyone could recognize. She expected the best in life and she worked hard. She was a party-girl, and boy, she could throw a party! Jean’s love of socializing with others landed her in a lifetime career of event planning. She coordinated thousands of events in the Atlanta area at Tower Place Hotel, St. Ives Country Club, and Marietta Country Club – weddings, parties, golf outings, birthday celebrations, office banquets, etc. She loved Motown music, Ray Charles, and Bob Seger. Her favorite foods were crab legs, salmon, ribs, bananas, green pea salad, and Chips Ahoy cookies.

Jean was always a night owl, staying up until 2:00 or 3:00 AM and sleeping until noon. She often called her son late at night when he was in bed “just to see how he was doing.” She was a gambler. She was the Queen of Black Jack and she loved slot machines. She would get a bloody Mary and sit and play for hours, often leaving with more money than she came. Jean was a regular at the Casinos- Tunica, Biloxi, Gulfport, Shorter, Cherokee, Cruise Casinos, and she even made a few trips to Vegas. When we heard the jackpot bells, we’d look around and see Jean with a huge, devious grin on her face and fire in her eyes.

Last year, Jean discovered that her mother’s gravesite in Atlanta had a direct and clear view of Stone Mountain. Little did Jean know that her mother had been watching over her all these years at Jean’s Stone Mountain home.

???? FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS… Jean leaves behind her beloved son, Donnie “Don” (Mary) Dillard and her three grandchildren who affectionately called her “Bubbie”- Zach and Noah Dillard, and Molly (Tori) Malfoy. She was preceded in death by her mother- Terba P. Zimmerman, father- Herman Zimmerman, older brother- “Abe” Samuel Zimmerman, and older sister- Esther Zimmerman. Jean also leaves behind her sister-in-law- Nancy (Abe) Zimmerman. She was “Aunt Jeanie” to nephews- Gerald (Deborah) Zimmerman and Walter Zimmerman, and niece- Jackie Zimmerman (Ken Cain). She was Great Aunt Jeanie to Kayla, Karly, Jeremy, Mackenzie, and Aiden, and Great, Great Aunt Jeanie to Bentley, Kinslee, and Karsyn.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 4, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Wages & Sons Funeral Home, 1040 Main Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. https://www.wagesandsons.com/obits/jean-z-dillard/