John Charles Dickson

John Charles Dickson was born in May 1917 and passed away on Father's Day, June 19, 2011. He was the son of Blanche Frogley Dickson of Toronto, Canada and Walter H. Dickson of Belfast, Ireland. John was born in Kansas City, Missouri but spent most of his life in Texas.

He graduated from Sam Houston High School in Houston, Texas in 1935 and loved to tell the story of how Lyndon Baines Johnson was his Speech teacher there. He said one day Mr. Johnson gave him the keys to his car and asked him to go pick up his laundry at the cleaners for him!

After high school, John attended the University of Texas at Austin for a year and then was admitted to the South Texas School of Law. In 1941 he joined the Army Air Corps to fight in World War II. He attended Officer Candidate School and was ultimately sent to North Africa, Sardinia and Corsica for most of his service. When he left the service in 1945 he had attained the rank of Captain.

Upon re-entering civilian life, John enrolled in the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee. The bulk of his optometry career was spent with Texas State Optical, first in Houston and then in Austin.

He and his first wife and their two children moved from Houston to Austin in 1960 and he has been a resident of Austin ever since. In 1968 he married Elizabeth (Betty) Slaughter. John and Betty loved to travel and spend time on their ranch in Dripping Springs. They were married almost 30 years until her death in 1998.

Some of John's favorite things were traveling, having coffee with his coffee group, attending the "Fellowship" Sunday school class, the Men's Breakfasts and services at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, spending time with his children, having dinner and watching PBS programs on TV with his special friend, Kathryn.

John is survived by his son, Dave Dickson, and wife, Trilby Babin Dickson of Aticama, Mexico; and daughter, Peggy Dickson Reis, and husband, Dennis Reis of Austin. He is also survived by his cousin Ernest O. Ross of Houston, Texas.

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 24, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition Blvd., Austin, Texas. A reception celebrating John's life will follow in the Fellowship Hall at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either Tarrytown United Methodist Church Mission/Outreach Fund, 2601 Exposition Blvd., Austin, TX 78703 or Hope Food Pantry, c/o Trinity United Methodist Church, 4001 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751.