Danny Ladrun Dilworth

Funeral services for Danny Ladrun Dilworth , 84 of Rienzi are set for Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 11am at Magnolia Funeral Home – EAST with interment in John Dilworth Family Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, January 27, 2025 from 5pm-7pm and Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 10am until service time at Magnolia Funeral Home – EAST. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Phillips and Rev. William Smith will officiate the service. Pallbearers will be Ladd Dilworth, Jack Dilworth, Robert Stone, Ethan Simons, Steve Simons and Lamar Harris. Honorary pallbearers will be State Farm Insurance agents and colleagues. Danny died Wednesday, January 22, 2025, in the presence of loving family. He was born outside of Biggersville, Mississippi, on April 16, 1940, to Charlie Lin and Carrie Genell Tice Dilworth. He graduated from Biggersville High School in 1958, attended Northeast Mississippi Community College and Wood Junior College, where he met the love of his life, Sue Ann Bishop. Danny and Sue Ann were married on January 28, 1961. He graduated from Mississippi State University in 1963 with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s in guidance and school administration

Danny began his work career as a coach and teacher. He continued to use the skills he honed on the court and field as an agency manager with State Farm Insurance, where he spent the bulk of his working years. He took an early retirement at the age of 55 to move from Tupelo back to his roots in Alcorn County. He and his wife, Sue Ann, spent many years restoring their pre-civil war home, of which Danny was the 5th generation, and had it listed with the National Registry of Historic Places. He loved his pine trees and hardwoods and completed various forestry courses. He always said tree farming wasn’t for the impatient, but you could grow quite rich if you lived 200 years. He was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to serve on the Mississippi Forestry Commission. He was a member and past president of the Alcorn County Forestry Association and a commissioner on the Alcorn County Soil and Water Conservation board. Danny was an ardent supporter of Northeast Mississippi Community College and served as the Alcorn County representative on the NEMCC Board of Trustees.

Danny rarely met a stranger, primarily because he already knew everyone! A charming people person, he made friends wherever life took him. He never forgot a name and greeted folks warmly. Even as his disease progressed, he still knew names despite not knowing the faces that went with them. His was a kind and gentle spirit with uncompromising ethics and had the strength of his convictions to be firm when needed. A fan of punctuality, Danny always ran on ‘Lombardi’ time. According to him, you were late if you weren’t ten minutes early. 

Danny was an avid golfer. Sue Ann once tracked how many consecutive days he played, and Danny was shocked to learn it was 39. While Sue Ann was busy birthing their third child, he was busy playing golf. Even after Lewy Body Dementia robbed him of his faculties, he was still able to enjoy the links with his son Jack.

Danny is survived by his wife of almost 64 years, his children Ladd, Jack, and Laurie (Steve Simons), grandson Ethan Simons, great-grandson Dylan Dilworth, loving sisters Doloris Stone, Theresa (Jimmy) Glenn, and Karen (Bill) Terry, special friend and caregiver Angela Lowe, and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, grandson Bradley Dilworth, and brother-in-law and golf partner Billy Stone. The family wishes to express deep gratitude and untold appreciation to the entire staff of Stoneridge at Farmington and the hospice nurses.

Magnolia Funeral Home- EAST is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Lewy Body Dementia Association at 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA 30047 or online at https://www.lbda.org/donate/ or to the charity of your choice.