Laura E. Dickson

Laura Etta Dickson, 97 of Lubbock passed away on July 23, 2010. Laura Etta Dickson was born November 19, 1912, in Cairo, Illinois. Her parents were share croppers. Etta was the middle child of 13 children. When Etta finished the eighth grade, she left home and went to St. Louis, Missouri. Etta realized that if she stayed in Cairo, there were no schools above the eighth grade; she did not want to spend the rest of her life as a farmer. Etta worked in a Catholic hospital, mopping floors and doing janitorial work to pay for her keep. She later worked at Walgreen Drug Store: to this day she is burned out on ice cream and does not eat it.

Etta married Joseph Fletcher Dickson on August 1, 1934, in Waterloo, Illinois, when she was 22 years old. They honeymooned in Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming. Joe was a school teacher and Etta continued with her education at Carbondale University, Southeast Missouri University, University of Illinois and later finished college at Eastern New Mexico University, in Portales, New Mexico, with a degree in Counseling and Guidance, she later completed work towards a Doctorate Degree.

Dr. Joseph F. Dickson was head of the physical Education and Athletic Department at Eastern New Mexico University, until he passed away in 1970. Etta continued to teach First Grade and Pre-First Grade in Clovis, New Mexico for 28 years. She retired at the age of 70.

In 1994, Etta moved to the Carillon Retirement Center in Lubbock, Texas.

She is survived by her two sons, Jim Dickson, a retired airline pilot, who lives in Cape Coral, Florida and Bob Dickson who has Dixon Comedy and Luves in Eindhoven, Holland in the Netherlands.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 2:00 PM at Carillon Chapel, Carillon Retirement Center, Lubbock, Texas.

Condolences may be offered at www.resthavenfuneralhome.com