Stephen Charles Dillon died December 8, 2020, of complications of COVID.
He is survived by his wife, Sherlene Carnell Dillon of Clayton; his sister, Cynthia Dillon Brown and her husband, James Brown, of Toccoa; his niece, Mary Williams Smith and her husband, Russell Smith, of Toccoa; their two adult children, Maggie and Ben Smith also survive. Numerous nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews on the wife’s side of the family also survive and live in South Carolina. His mother, Mildred Carroll Dillon, died last week in Toccoa. Two of her sisters and numerous cousins survive.
He will also be remembered by hundreds of former students and co-teachers, dozens of loyal customers, and several beloved pets.
Mr. Dillon moved to Rabun County during college when his parents bought the York House in 1979. Mr. Dillon did much of the research to get it on the National Historic Registry.
After graduating from the University of Georgia he taught for seven years at Clayton Elementary School and Rabun County High School. He met his wife, Sherlene, in Clayton and they married in 1983.
In 1987 he resigned teaching and opened what became S&S Dillon Antiques and Fine Art. For 20 years it was located on Highway 441. In 2007 it moved to a smaller location just off Main Street in Clayton.
During those 23 years as an antique dealer, he sold to the Atlanta High Museum, numerous interior designers, university faculty, and local part time and full time residents. Rarely, he would close the shop to do antique shows at St. Phillips Cathedral in Atlanta, The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, and others in Macon and Jacksonville, Florida. He also sometimes appeared as a guest consultant on the TV program, Auction Kings, produced in Atlanta. One of his proudest sales was an antique posnet (Pot on legs) that Johnny Eller bought to use for cooking in his fireplace.
After the shop closed in 2010, Mr. Dillon worked as a substitute teacher in the Rabun County School System. He worked for a few months as the Manager at the Faith Furniture Store, but returned to teaching. He was the full-time substitute at the Elementary when he passed.
He actively supported animal rescue efforts, and was one of the first in this area to adopt a greyhound from a Florida track. He and Oliver were featured on the front page. At one time he had three greyhounds. He also found and adopted several dogs and cats locally and some found him.
He was an active member of the Franklin Mineral Society and even served as chairman of their Gem and Mineral Show a couple of times. He received funding from them to provide teaching materials for the After School Mineral Class that he taught at the Elementary School. He also volunteered in their Mineral Museum and Gift Shop located in the Old Jail in Franklin, North Carolina.
He loved to read, and talk to students. He enjoyed collecting military uniforms, and rocks, he loved his pets, and even the chickens.
His celebration of life will be held on Saturday April 10, 2021, in the Chapel of the Beck Funeral Home in Clayton, Georgia from 2-4 p.m., which would have been his birthday. This will be a “meet and greet” but time will be given for sharing of memories in the last hour.
Beck Funeral Home, in Clayton, Georgia, is in charge of the arrangements. If there are any questions, please call 706-782-9599. An online Memorial Register Book is available at www.beckfuneralhome.com