Fielding Lewis Dillard, Jr, 84, of Gainesville, GA, passed away on March 13, 2025. He was born on August 13,1940 in Rome, GA, to the late Fielding and Mary Dillard. He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Carolyn Chaffin Dillard, and sister, Lynn Winch. He is survived by two sons, Fielding Lewis Dillard III “Pete” (Jessica) of Marietta, GA, and Mark Bradford Dillard (Shannon) of Nashville, TN; six grandchildren, Fielding Jackson Dillard, of Atlanta, Ga, Caroline Carson Dillard, Ella Grace Dillard, and Charles Collins Dillard, all of Nashville, TN, Julia Rose Dillard and Jonathan Richard Dillard of Marietta, GA; several nieces and nephews and companion, Irene Mastroni.

Mr. Dillard graduated from Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy) in 1958 and the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1962 where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and the Air Force ROTC. He earned an MBA from Mississippi State in 1964. He attended “UPT” Undergraduate Pilot Training at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, GA, flew KC-135s based in Columbus, MS, and flew the next 5 years out of Takhli Air Force Base in Thailand. He served in the Vietnam War flying KC-135s in over 250 missions over the Gulf of Tonkin, which was critical to the success of combat operations supporting both bombers and tactical fighters. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force as a Major, he had a long career as a pilot for Eastern Airlines from 1968 until March 3,1989, ending with the strike against Frank Lorenzo, where he proudly walked the picket line alongside his sons. After Eastern Airlines, he started a real estate appraisal business.

Mr. Dillard was an exceptional musician, having begun playing piano and drums at a young age. He was the drummer in a rock band that played at fraternity parties for extra money while at Georgia Tech. In his later years, he continued to play the piano, performing gigs at various venues around Gainesville, GA with his signature “boogie-woogie” style, delighting all who had the privilege of hearing him play. He had a standing gig at Luna’s in Gainesville on Tuesday nights where he drew large crowds. He was also a talented speaker/storyteller with a broad knowledge base capable of engaging in interesting discussions on diverse topics.

A memorial service to celebrate Mr. Dillard’s life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gainesville First United Methodist Church, where Mr. Dillard was a member.

The staff of Central Cremation Services is honored to be selected to provide end-of-life services.

(If you order flowers, you must obtain a delivery address from a family member. Please do not send flowers to the crematory)