Kathryn Dickey

Fayette resident, Kathryn Dickey, age 92, passed away peacefully at the Lodge on April 19, 2024.

Kathryn Dickey was born Betty Kathryn Downey on January 23, 1932, in Tucson, AZ.  Kathryn was the last surviving of six children born to the late Ira and Rosalee (Alverson) Downey.  Kathryn graduated from Tucson High School in 1951.

Kathryn’s family had lived in Howard County for 3 generations, but due to her mother’s health settled in Tucson during her childhood.  Her father was in construction and built many of the houses on West Davis Street. Including the family home, which is now the Baylor Farmhouse south of town.  Due to the familial ties to the community, she visited family here often and during a short period attended Farmers High.  During such visits she began to be courted by Edward B. Dickey.  The Dickey family were long-time friends of the family and when Kathryn went back to Arizona Ed followed her to Tucson.

On April 8, 1951, Kathryn married the love of her life, Edward B. Dickey in Tucson, AZ.  The couple was happily married for nearly 57 years until Edwards passing on March 1, 2008.  Kathryn was a farmer’s wife and lived on the family farm on Route DD with her in-laws Ed and Mae, raising her two sons, tending to the animals, gardening, and doing the chores around the house.  On top of being a farmer’s wife, Kathryn worked in the secretary field for several institutions throughout her career.  She started her career at the University of Missouri and later worked for Allied Chemical Co./Allied Services.  Kathryn then settled in at Central Methodist College as a secretary to the Dean, a job she held for 21 years, retiring in 1993.  When she was able, Kathryn loved traveling to Europe, visiting her siblings in Tucson, and especially enjoyed time spent with her grandkids.  When she wasn’t taking her grandchildren to various activities you could find her in the garden, canning vegetables and jams, and tending to her geese, dogs, and cats.  She enjoyed restoring furniture, traveling to craft fairs, and having lunch with “the girls”.

Survivors includer her son, Jeffrey E. (Shelly) Dickey of Fayette, MO; two grandchildren, Wendy (Robert) Cole of Fayette, MO and Edward “Eddie” J. (Tabatha) Dickey, II of Hallsville, MO; and four great-grandchildren, Mathias Cole, Emma Dickey, Micah Cole, and Weston Dickey.  In addition to her husband and parents, Kathryn was preceded in death by her son, Edward B. Dickey, Jr., and five siblings, Mary Elizabeth Blassingame, Ira Vernon Downey, William Gates Downey, Dorothy Louise Bookman and Ruth Mae Iaccino.

Visitation will be held 5-7 PM, Friday, April 26, 2024 at Friemonth-Freese Funeral Home in Fayette.  A funeral service honoring her life will be held 10 AM, Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Friemonth-Freese in Fayette, with Pastor Chris McGowan officiating.  Interment will follow at Walnut Ridge Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Fayette Food Pantry, c/o Friemonth-Freese Funeral Service, 174 Hwy. 5 & 240 N., Fayette, MO 65248.

The Family would like to thank the wonderful staff at The Lodge and the Hilderbrand Family for the loving care the past 3 years provided to their loved one.

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