Clara Gilliam Dillard

Clara Gilliam Dillard, 95, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, passed away on August 20, 2026. Born in Spartanburg on November 21, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Baram Bobo Gilliam and Rosa Belle McSwain.

Clara was a devout Christian and a charter member of Glendale Baptist Church, and later became a member of Morningside Baptist Church. She retired from Hoechst Celanese after many years of service. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially on trips to the beach and Sunday drives to the mountains. She also loved sewing and working in her garden.

In addition to her parents, Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Duran Dillard, who passed away in 1991; her daughter, Sharon Cybularz; and her siblings, Max Gilliam, Jerry Gilliam, Boyd Gilliam, Nathaniel Gilliam, Charles Gilliam, Lucille Bridges, Frances Gilliam, and Edith Burdette.

She is survived by her daughters, Donna Pruitt (Alan) of Spartanburg and Kathy Waldrop (Denis) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; her grandchildren, Jeff Neeley, Travis Neeley, Shane Pruitt, Shannon Chastain, Angie Boyd, Katie Grelle, and Chad Waldrop; fourteen great-grandchildren; her brother, John Vernon Gilliam; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 1:00 PM at J. M. Dunbar Funeral Home. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12:00 PM until 12:45 PM. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Clara may be made to: Spartanburg Shares, 141 Advent Street Spartanburg, SC 29302 Or Morningside Baptist Church, 897 S. Pine Street Spartanburg, SC 29302.