Dillard Deniese Smith

Dillard Deniese Smith (aka Niese) was born on August 17, 1965, in Chebanse, Illinois, to Emma Jean Collins and Theodore Roosevelt Smith. She was the third of Emma Jean's four children and grew up alongside her siblings LaVerne, Michael, and Jerome. From the very beginning, she was surrounded by love. Over the years, she also built lasting bonds with her siblings Barbara Jean, Terry Lee, Marsha, Virgie, Valerie, Delores, and Autumn. 

At the age of six, Niese and her mother relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she was raised in Lynwood. She attended Hostler Jr. High and Lynwood High School. From a young age, Dillard was known for her energy, style, and humor. She had a way of drawing people in - she was the kid people remembered. She spent her childhood riding bikes, swimming, laughing loudly, and discovering who she was in a world that wasn't easy. 

In 1982, at just 17 years old, Dillard became a proud mother to her daughter, Jenae Le Shawn. Three years later, in 1985, she welcomed her son, Christopher Anthony. Motherhood was one of Dillard's greatest joys. She poured her heart into her children to the best of her abilities and motherhood gave her purpose and a love that carried her through every season of her life. 

Life wasn't simple or easy for Dillard. She faced challenges that tested her spirit, including struggles with addiction, heartbreak, and loss. She had the heart of a fighter. She fought for her sobriety, for her children, and for her future - and she won that battle. 

Some of Dillard's most cherished years were spent on W. 58th Place in South Central during the 1990s. This was where she built a home and a life with her then partner, Dean. Those years were full of community, care, and connection. Neighbors became family, and the house was always full - laughter, music, and good food spilling out the front door. Niese was known for braiding hair in the living room, planning BBQs at the house, and hosting Easter picnics at Kenneth Hahn Park. If you saw her El Camino, Regal, or Blazer, it was AFTER you heard the beat flying down the block! She loved her kids deeply and opened her heart and home to others who needed safety, love, and guidance. That house was always full. 

In 2007, Dillard's life changed when her son Christopher was tragically shot, leaving him in a semi-vegetative state. Though the weight of this loss was unimaginable, she literally lived her life one day at a time, finding strength in caring for her family and supporting others. That same year, she began working with Volunteers of America and later with the Skid Row Housing Trust, dedicating herself to serving vulnerable communities. She often said this work gave her purpose, perspective, and healing. 

In December 2021, Dillard survived a cardiac arrest, a coma, and seizures - and what followed was one of the most powerful transformations of her life. She committed herself to sobriety, self-love, and healing in a way she never had before. She joined Charter Oak Hospital's outpatient program and eventually moved into a sober living home. She didn't just attend recovery meetings - she lived her recovery, inspired others, and rebuilt herself from the inside out. 

These last few years became a beautiful new chapter, Dillard embraced life again. She went camping, took vacations, and found peace in the mountains. She started getting her hair and nails done regularly again, journaling, shopping, and caring for her plants. She cherished her fur babies, Sasha ("Sashi"), her loyal companion since 2009, and Serenity ("Renny"), her sweet puppy. If you knew her, you knew Sasha and Renny were never far from her side. 

Dillard had an infectious laugh and a presence that lit up every room she entered. She loved seafood, crab boils, fresh fruits and vegetables, gumbo, the perfect steak, and was very serious about her "good ice." Her taste in music was electric - spanning gangsta rap, soul, jazz, R&B, and even alternative tracks. She found peace in sound baths, joy in journaling, and fun in dressing up and winning costume contests. She had been so excited about finally attending the Renaissance Fair - ready to show up as the princess she always knew she was. 

On August 27, 2025, Dillard transitioned peacefully in her sleep. She leaves behind her daughter, Jenae Le Shawn (and her son-in-law Derrick), her mother, Emma Jean; her siblings LaVerne, Michael, Barbara Jean, Terry Lee, Marsha, Virgie, Valerie, Delores, and Autumn; and a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, cousins, and cherished friends who will carry her laughter, her love, and her memory forward. 

Dillard's life is a reminder that no matter what you've endured, it is always possible to heal, to grow, and to find joy again. Her strength, her love, and her radiant spirit will live on in all who were blessed to know her.