Ramona Arlene (Dickinson) Dickinson

Ramona Dickinson, lovingly known as Aunt Monie, was born April 21, 1929 in Bedford, Iowa, Taylor County. She was the third child born to Earl David Dickinson and Clara Hensley Dickinson out of 6 children. She always wanted to be in school. She went before she was of age. When mother found out, she received the switch all the way home.
Earl David was a farm laborer for many people which caused them to move a lot in childhood while living in Iowa and Missouri until he had a severe heart attack at 53 years old.
Clara always worked in the home, relying on Ramona and Geraldine, Ramona's older sister. Together they bought a 40 acre farm near Clarinda, Iowa. In 1947, Ramona started going to summer school and taught all 8 grades in several rural schools until she earned her B.A. degree.
Ramona accepted a teaching job at Columbine Schools in Fort Morgan, Colorado. The school wasn't actually finished yet, when she started teaching. She taught in a duplex school before the big day of riding the bus to the new school. She lived with a German family in their basement for 3 years. In 1959, she had her family move into the home on Meeker Street where they resided for 31 years.
She received her Master's degree from Greeley College in 1963. She attended First Christian Church. Ramona served as Deacon, Elder, Chairman of Property Committee, Youth Leader with pack trips to the mountains in Colorado, YMCA camp each year for C.W.F. Retreats in Estes Park, Colorado, served as Vice President of C.W.F. Area including Colorado and Wyoming, and went as a group celebrating in Lindsborg, Kansas.
In 1978, she traveled to Corpus Christi for a fishing trip with family and friends from Oklahoma City.
In 1986, Ramona took a cruise to Hawaii with a friend, She took 4 tours on Oahu and at least 1 each of Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii.
In 1990, the family moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to be closer to her family. She was self-employed cleaning houses, delivering phone books, and election clerks. She attended and was very active in the First Christian Church. She enjoyed quilting each week at the Penn Avenue Christian Church; helping with Ministries Aid; funeral dinners, celebrations, and parties at the church; skits and the Membership Committee.
In 2001, The family moved again and retired in Longview, Texas. She helped her niece, Lynn with her printing business making football program books for the Marshall Mavericks. Gardening has been big in their family. They canned and froze vegetables and fruits for the winter and also shared the surplus. She was a member of the Native Plants of East Texas, raising lots of native plants and tomatoes for the Annual Jake's Feed Store sale; North East Gardeners, meeting once a month learning gardening tricks and ideas; First Christian Church of Longview, she made new lectionaries for the podiums and crafting at the Corner Workshop; funeral dinners, celebrations, and parties at the church; Women's Fellowship and Garden Club.
Ramona's appreciation certificates include, serving as President of the Delta Kappa Chapter and remaining a member for 59 years. 1975-1976 Fort Morgan Teacher of the Year (Honorable Mention from Colorado State); She served as President of Fort Morgan Teachers Credit Union; a Life Member of the NEA; Seed Savers; a Member of Habitat for Humanity, since its inception in Fort Morgan, Colorado; and she was a blood donor for many years.
Ramona was preceded in death by her mother, Clara Hensley Dickinson; and father, Earl David Dickinson; three sisters, Wilma Leona Dickinson (2 yo); Geraldine Dickinson (93 yo) and Loretta Newton (89 yo) and husband, John Newton; nephew, Larry Newton; and a nephew-in-law, Donald Solf.
Ramona leaves to cherish her loving memories two sisters, Julia and husband Jerry Yost and Barbara Dickinson all of Longview, Texas; nieces, Karen (Newton) Solf, Joy Mae (Newton) and Dennis Whitaker; Lynn (Yost) and Charlie Phife, Lori (Yost) and Shawn Vanderslice; great nieces, LaDonna (Solf) and James Combs, Linda Kay Solf, Jessica Marshall, Victoria Marshall and Lara Newton; great nephews, Jason Michael and Celeste Whitaker, Austin and Whitney Vanderslice and John Thomas Newton; great, great nieces, Emiree Vanderslice, Fatina Love, Felecia Love, and Laile Love; great, great nephews, Huck Vanderslice, Julian Love, Eli Love and Jason Jr. Whitaker; and many Dickinson and Hensley cousins.
Thanks to PrimeCare and Dr. Julie Lundy for the wonderful care with memory care. Also, Debbie Norton for her patience, understanding, and loving, personal care.Donations can be to First Christian Church, Habitat for Humanity or Happy Hill Farm.
All flowers and donations should be directed to the Dickinson family and First Christian Church.

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