Richard Dillard Obituary, Death – The life of Richard Dillard, who resided in Roanoke, Virginia, has ended. My entire life was turned around by Richard Dillard. He was the only teacher I’ve ever had who supported every wacky idea that ever occurred to my wacky mind and laughed at my “Hadleyish” lingo rather than making fun of me because of my learning disability. He was the only instructor I’ve ever had.

He was thoughtful, easy to understand, humorous, and intelligent, all at the same time. His captivating seminars, in which we dove deeply into filmmakers like Orson Welles and Hitchcock; the senior writing seminar, in which we all learned, laughed, and admitted to being a little high; the hours that I spent in his welcoming office at Hollins University discussing old movies, stories, and structure.

He referred to me as the “last playgirl of the Western World” and predicted that “I would ascend to the heights” when I graduated from high school. Even though I haven’t actually done it yet, Dillard has instilled in me the confidence to do it. Because Dillard has helped hundreds of other Hollins students over the last 60 years to feel just as wonderful, different, and deserving as they are, I know that I am not the only one who has had this experience.

He gave us an incredible present, and we will be eternally grateful to him for doing so. I pray that whatever troubles you find resolution in this life. This evening, I was informed that Richard Dillard, who had served as both a guide and a friend to me, had passed away. I will never forget him, nor will I forget the courses he taught at Hollins University, which helped mold me into the instructor and author that I am today.

He also instructed me on music. He informed me that during his first presentation, he leaned too much on the lectern and collapsed onto the carpet. I was appropriately scared when I got ready to teach my first class as a result. Although he looked to be afraid, once the class started laughing, everything was OK. His life continued in this manner once he joined in the chuckles. I considered myself as being among the luckiest to have him in my life, like all of his students.