HARRY DICKINSON obituary

Harry E. Dickinson, 88, of Havre died peacefully at his home Wednesday, April 23, 2003.

A prayer vigil/rosary service will be at 7 p.m. Monday, with the funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Tuesday, both at St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D.

Grosch officiating. A luncheon will be held immediately after the Mass at the St. Jude Parish Center.

Entombment will be at the Hillcrest Lawn Mausoleum in Great Falls.

Harry was born March 7, 1915, to Harry Evans and Letitia (Ryan) Dickinson in Minneapolis, Minn. He grew up part of a large extended family. He attended St. Stephen's and graduated as valedictorian of his class at De La Salle High School. After a year at the college of St. Thomas in St. Paul, he went to work for the Great Northern Railway as an agent operator on the Iron Range to help his family through the depression years.

Promoted to dispatcher in 1942, Harry moved to Great Falls where he worked until his transfer to Havre in 1961. He retired in 1979 after 43 years of service.

He was introduced to his wife of 59 years, Cleo (Hogan), when her father invited him to dinner.

Harry prided himself on walking to work nearly every day of his life. He cut his lawn with a push mower, loved to garden and enjoyed the outdoors. He read constantly, and the librarians set aside new books they thought he'd like. He was an avid cribbage player, playing his last game two nights before he died. Harry clipped coupons, played the football picks (he won once!) and got the Irish Times crossword puzzle off the Internet daily.

Harry's family was everything to him. He was never without a baby over his shoulder as his grandchildren came and he'd watched them grow with pride. He drew strength from a deep faith. He kept his sense of humor to the last.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife of 59 years, Cleo, in December 2002; and brother, Robert Dickinson.

He is survived by his children, Pamela (Walter) Greenwood of Everett, Wash.; Candace (Carl) Gross of Willowbrook, Ill.; Gregory Dickinson of Havre; Melanie (Jeff) Nelson of Keller, Texas; sister, Letitia (Charles) Jones of Edina, Minn.; sister-in-law, Helen Haynes of Salem, Ore.; brother-in-law, C. Lester Hogan of Atherton, Calif.; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials in Harry's honor may be made to the St. Jude Thaddeus School, 440 Seventh Ave., Havre, MT 59501, Bear Paw Hospice 30 West 13th St., Havre, MT 59501 or a memorial of one's choice.

Services and arrangements are under the direction of Holland and Bonine Funeral Hom