Baker City, Oregon
Delano Arthur Dickey, 69, of Baker City died at his home on Sept. 1, 2004.
At his request, there will be no funeral. A family celebration of his life will be scheduled later.
Del, as his family, friends and co-workers knew him, was born at Merced, Calif., on March 6, 1935, to Ephraim and Agnes Dickey.
He moved to Kennewick, Wash., at an early age and attended school there, graduating from Kennewick High School. He attended Columbia Basin College prior to entering the U.S. Air Force for four years.
He served overseas for a year and a half. After his discharge from the Air Force in 1962, he worked at theHanford area before accepting a position with the General Services Administration at the Enterprise Federal Building in 1963.
He transferred to the Baker Federal Building in 1969 and remained there until he retired in 1995. After retiring, he went into the refrigeration business for himself. He had to discontinue the business three years later because of declining health.
Del’s passion was to become a pilot. He took his flight training at Enterprise while working there. It was during his solo flights over Baker City that he fell in love with the area.
Del loved to fish, hunt, snow ski and ice skate. He was an accomplished pool player and bowler. He was a past member of both the Pasco, Wash., Elks Lodge and the Lions Club in Baker City.
Family members expressed their gratitude to those who cared for him for the last two months of his life and to family and friends who expressed their concern.
Survivors include his loving wife of 31 years, Lois; two stepdaughters, Jaleen Martin, and her husband, Jerry, of Richland, Wash., and Lanelle Graves and her husband, John, of Kennewick, Wash.; two stepsons, Laren Fusman of Denver and Gregg Fusman and his wife, Sandra, of Ferndale, Wash.; two sisters, Joyce Scott, and her husband, Joe, of Kennewick, Wash., and Gloria Moore of Kennewick, Wash.; and several nieces, nephews and stepgrandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Don.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pathway Hospice, 2192 Court Ave., Baker City, OR 97814 or through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, September 14, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor