08/26/2025
In Loving Memory of Gladys Dillard
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our dear friend and longtime Bristol Humane Society family member, Gladys. Since 2007, Gladys has been a steady and beloved part of our daily lives. Though her official title never quite captured it, she was truly the one who “kept us straight around here.” She had a way of holding us accountable, teaching us to work hard, and reminding us to do things the right way.
Gladys set the tone through her own strong work ethic, and it was clear she expected the same from those around her. New staff quickly learned that earning her approval meant everything, and many of us found ourselves wanting to live up to her example.
She kept the heart of this place beating in ways that were quiet but profound—whether it was mopping the floors, tidying the kitchen, or offering a small word of encouragement in passing. Many of us went out of our way to pick up a dropped ice cube or cover a plate in the microwave just so she would notice. She also had her daily ritual of coming into the office to carefully write down her hours—she wasn’t about to trust that time clock—and as she left, the office manager would call out, “Come back tomorrow, we’ll do it again!” to which Gladys would always reply in her quiet, unenthusiastic way, “we’ll do it again.”
Her presence was felt in laughter as much as in work. From the inside jokes in the pack room, to playful banter about slick floors and buckets, to her famous one-word reply of “Mornin’” that no one could ever get her to expand into “Good morning,” she filled the clinic with a warmth that was uniquely hers. Everyone begged for her banana pudding at every potluck, and every day she shared her lunch with her “favorite pack-room buddy,” who held an extra special place in her heart. On rare occasions, when someone managed to sneak up and startle her, it would spark a small burst of laughter between those nearby, a special kind of moment because breaking through her quiet nature felt like striking gold.
We often worried that our little tiny Gladys might get “wiped out” by one of us rushing around a corner while she was mopping, but somehow she always stood her ground with that saucy mix of humor and grit that made her unforgettable. She could be contrary, she could be funny, and she could be wonderfully saucy—and we loved her all the more for it.
Gladys leaves behind her son, her daughter, her grandchildren, and her beloved cats. To them, we extend our deepest love and sympathy. We know her absence leaves a tremendous hole.
For us, the Bristol Humane Society will never feel quite the same without her. But we will carry Gladys with us—in the way we work hard, the way we laugh together, and the way we try each day to honor her presence in this place she cared for so faithfully. And as we look forward to our new expanded facility, we are comforted by the thought of finding a special way to memorialize “our little Gladys,” whose memory will always live in these halls.
We will miss you, Gladys. Always.
