Ronald E. Dickens
On December 11, 2020, Ronald E. Dickens passed away peacefully after a fearless battle with cancer. He was born November 23, 1944, to Geneva Holmes and John Dickens in St. Louis, Missouri.
Ron was a trail blazer. He chose to attend one of the very first integrated high schools in St. Louis, MO in the 1950s. This came with many challenges, but he maintained very good grades, and was able to attend junior college. Ron has fearlessly spoken out for racial equality throughout his life.
Ron had a passion for learning. He was always watching the news and informational and historical shows on TV, when he wasn’t watching Law and Order. Ron loved airplanes. He was often either building model airplanes or watching the airplanes take off at the Burlington airport.
Ron worked in the nuclear physics lab at the University of Washington in Seattle where he met Diane Pierce at the famous Blue Moon Tavern. Ron and Diane shared many years together, and joyously brought their daughter Zoe into the world.
Ron met Cathy Cross in Martha’s Kitchen of St. Albans, where she generously offered him a place to stay for the winter, they have been in love ever since.
He was known as Dr. Ron on his favorite park bench in St. Albans. People would come, sit on the bench, and tell him their troubles. Ron was always gushing about how proud he was of his daughter.
Ron was especially proud to protest alongside his daughter Zoe, in spirit, this summer in the Black Lives Matter protests.
Ron is preceded in death by his mother, Geneva Holmes, and his father, John Dickens. He is survived by his girlfriend, Cathy Cross, the mother of his daughter, Diane Pierce, and his daughter, Zoe Pierce-Dickens.
Due to COVID 19, no services have been scheduled at this time. Those, who are able, are welcome make donations in his name to any of the organizations listed. The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute https://www.flhinstitute.org/donate Philadelphia Bail Fund: https://www.phillybailfund.org/
Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
