Family, friends and lifelong readers remember Brentwood children's librarian Missy Dillingham
Missy Dillingham, a Brentwood librarian and tireless advocate for children, died Aug. 1.
Family, library coworkers and generations of readers in Brentwood say her legacy looms large over the city.
"That was her passion. Her career was well-bestowed upon her," said Amanda Newcomb, her sister.
"That was what she was meant to do."
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Dillingham was born in Sarasota, Florida, but enjoyed deep Tennessee roots. She grew up in Johnson City and graduated from East Tennessee State University before enrolling at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she received a master's degree in library science.
Dillingham started her career at the Sullivan County Library System.
In 1984, Dillingham arrived at the Brentwood City Library. She became the library's first-ever manager of Children's Services, a position she held for 38 years. Residents on social media said she knew how to turn kids into lifelong lovers of reading.
"She was great at story time when my kids were preschoolers," wrote Janet Waters on Facebook. "They are 35 & 37 now. Thank you for touching lives."
She was also a fixture at the Tennessee Library Association, where she helped plan the organization's annual conference. She garnered accolades including the Daniel A. Taylor Memorial Award and the Frances Neel Cheney Award.
"Many beautiful things have been said about Missy, but I would like to add one more. She was my friend and I loved her dearly," Cathy M. Farley, executive director of the Tennessee Library Association, wrote in an email to librarians statewide.
Dillingham's husband of 32 years, Robert Dillingham, said she could usually be found with a book at home, but had many other hobbies library patrons might not know about. She was a fan of science fiction series like "Star Trek" and "Star Wars," a master gardener and a world traveler who once cruised down Europe's Danube River.
A memorial service was held Aug. 7 at Woodbine Funeral Home.
"It is really a comforting thing to hear what these people have shared since her passing," said Christopher Newcomb, her brother-in-law.
Cole Villena covers Williamson County at The Tennessean, part of the USA Today Network — Tennessee. Reach Cole at cvillena@tennessean.com or 615-925-0493. Follow Cole on Twitter at @ColeVillena and on Instagram at @CVinTennessee.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Remembering Missy Dillingham, champion for Brentwood's young readers
