Obituary of Anthony Michael Dillard, Jr.

AD2 (AW) Anthony Michael Dillard, Jr.  (affectionately nicknamed “Bruiser” and “Ant”) returned to his creator on Sunday, April 22, 2018.  He was born in Voorhees, New Jersey on June 9, 1993 to Irma E. Collins and Anthony M. Dillard, Sr.

Anthony graduated from Delsea Regional High School in 2011, where he enjoyed being a member of both the Crusaders’ cross country and track & field teams.  Anthony excelled earning varsity letters in both sports.  After his high school tenure, his interests led him to a career in the United States Navy.  In March of 2012, Anthony successfully completed basic training, as a member of Division 12-098, at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Lake County, Illinois.  In July of 2012, he successfully completed Aviation School in Pensacola, Florida and began his career as an Aviation Machinists.  Afterwards, Anthony served 3 years in Guam, where he met and married his loving wife, Tammy.  On November 19, 2013, Anthony, Tammy, and Tayler welcomed a beautiful addition to their family, Brielle Elease.  Once his tour in Guam concluded, he and his family relocated to Chesapeake, Virginia.

As a little guy, Anthony was silly and fun-loving with a playful disposition always smiling, joking, and/or laughing.  He loved being outside and being active.  On any given day, you could find Anthony riding a dirt bike or a quad, building remote controlled cars, playing street hockey, or fixing his bicycle.  He excelled in little league baseball and youth football. Anthony was almost perfect with one exception; he was a “tattletale.”  If you did it, Anthony was going to tell on you.  Anthony had a good heart, a beautiful smile, and a wonderful personality.  As a man, he had a passion for motorcycles and cars.  Anthony always had a knack for drawing which developed into an artistry for tattooing.  His life travels allowed him to experience fishing from the Atlantic Ocean of the shores of New Jersey to the Pacific Ocean of the shores of Guam.  He went from tinkering with bikes as a child to working on multi-million dollar air craft as a man.  He was a devoted husband and father and loved spending time with his family.  While he had many interests, Anthony’s favorite hobby may have been eating pickles. 

Anthony leaves to cherish his precious memories, a devoted wife, Tammy; his children, Brielle (daughter), Tayler (step-son); his loving mother and father, Irma Collins and Anthony Dillard Sr.; his step-mother and step-father, Jennifer Dillard and Jonathan Collins Sr.; his mother-in-law and father-in-law  Sandra and Tommy Aguero;  his grandfather’s Lawrence Dillard and William Kelley Sr.; his sisters  Dominique Dillard, Gabrielle Dillard, Jordan Collins, and Searra Gross (step-sister); his brothers Amir Dillard and  Jonathan Collins Jr.; his sister-in-law Shannon Aguero; his brothers-in-law Christopher Aguero, Eric Aguero, and Gage Aguero;  his niece A’Ryelle Moore; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Anthony was predeceased by his grandmothers Donna Rae Dillard and Betty Ann Kelley.