Barbara Dillard Sheppard Bell

Mrs. 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, Georgia. Barbara graduated in 1954 from Greer High School in South Carolina. She later received her B.A. (summa cum laude) as well as an M.Ed. from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. 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, California; daughter, Sandra (Jeff), of Alpharetta, Georgia; sister, Sandra (Ken), of Greer, South Carolina; brother, Jimmy (Diana), of Greer, South Carolina; sister-in-law, Kathleen, of Colorado; two step-sons, Wayne (Donna), of Dalton, Georgia, and Walter, of Atlanta, Georgia; 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 were held on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 11 a.m. from Christ the King Lutheran Church in Dalton, Georgia, with the Rev. Dr. John Rossing officiating. 

Visitation was held Saturday from 10-11 a.m. at the church.

Burial was at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Greer, South Carolina, on Sunday, June 3, 2018 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, Georgia 30722; The Wayne E. Bell Memorial Scholarship Fund, Dalton State College Foundation, Inc., 650 College Dr., Dalton, Georgia 30720; or The Joseph Hendricks Minority Scholarship, University Advancement, Mercer University, 1400 Coleman Ave., Macon, Georgia 31207.