December 18, 2024
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Richard ‘Shorty’ Dickson remembered as an extraordinary leader for Waubonsee College

Lifelong Bristol resident served 45 years on the college’s board of trustees

By Kendall County Now staff report
Batavia resident Annette Heiser receives her diploma from Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees Chair Richard “Shorty” Dickson at the college’s 45th annual commencement ceremony on Thursday. (Photo provided)

FILE PHOTO: Batavia resident Annette Heiser receives her diploma from Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees Chair Richard “Shorty” Dickson, left, at the college’s 45th annual commencement ceremony. (Photo provided)

Richard “Shorty” Dickson, a lifelong Bristol resident who served more than four decades on the Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees and over three decades on the Bristol-Kendall Fire Protection District and KenCom 911 Executive Boards, died Nov. 9 at Cedarhurst of Yorkville.

Dickson, 85, was one of the longest-serving members of a college board of trustees in Illinois. His tenure on the Waubonsee Board of Trustees began in 1972, six years after voters approved the creation of the college district in a 1966 referendum.

He served two stints on the board, the first one from 1972 until 1987 and then from 1989 to April, 2019.

College President Christine Sobek described Dickson’s commitment and dedication to Waubonsee as unparalleled among community college trustees in Illinois and across the nation.

“He will forever be remembered as an extraordinary and selfless leader in our community who always put students first, enabling tens of thousands of Waubonsee Community College students to receive a quality education. His care and concern for the college’s students and employees are unsurpassed and his legacy will live on forever,” Sobek said in a statement.

As a board member, Dickson participated in more than 750 board meetings and about 50 commencement ceremonies. A conservative estimate of the number of volunteer hours he provided to the college is 5,000, according to the college.

Dickson volunteered his personal time to build a web of strategic partnerships, relationships and friendships that put the college at the educational, workforce, social, cultural and economic center of the community by consistently putting the college’s mission in front of decision makers at the local, state, and national levels.

Dickson also helped steer the college from its rural foundation to one that serves one of Illinois’ largest and most diverse population centers. In addition, Dickson advanced the education of individual students through the Anita Memorial and Richard “Shorty” Dickson Scholarships.

Throughout this time, Dickson was an advocate for the conservation and preservation of the land surrounding Waubonsee’s four campuses.

In recognition of Dickson’s contributions to the college, the Dickson Center on the college’s Sugar Grove campus was dedicated in his honor in 1987.

Waubonsee Dickson Center

Waubonsee Community College's Dickson Center on the college's Sugar Grove campus.

A native of Bristol, Dickson lived his entire life on his farm off Dickson Road is what is now the village of Montgomery. The former family farmstead is owned by The Conservation Foundation and known as the Dickson-Murst Farm. Today, the Dickson-Murst Farm regularly hosts farm-oriented events to showcase what family farm life was like in the mid-1900s in the Fox Valley.

Members of the Dickson-Murst Farm Partners presented a photo of the Dickson-Murst Farm to the village of Montgomery at the Oct. 22 village meeting in appreciation of its support to preserve the historic farmstead. The farm is owned by The Conservation Foundation and the Partners maintain the farm buildings and host events to honor the area’s rich farming history. Pictured from left are Village President Matt Brolley, Neal and Jan Woessner of Oswego, Jane and Ken Wolf of Oswego, Jeff Nakaerts of Plainfield, Marian and (seated) Richard “Shorty” Dickson of Bristol, Martha and Jim Cumpata of Oswego, and Ron Curbis of Montgomery. “Shorty” Dickson grew up on the farm, which his great-grandfather bought around 1865.

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Dickson-Murst Farm Partners presented a photo of the Dickson-Murst Farm to the village of Montgomery at the Oct. 22, 2019 village meeting in appreciation of its support to preserve the historic farmstead. The farm is owned by The Conservation Foundation and the partners maintain the farm buildings and host events to honor the area’s rich farming history. Pictured from left are Village President Matt Brolley, Neal and Jan Woessner of Oswego, Jane and Ken Wolf of Oswego, Jeff Nakaerts of Plainfield, Marian and (seated) Richard “Shorty” Dickson of Bristol, Martha and Jim Cumpata of Oswego, and Ron Curbis of Montgomery. “Shorty” Dickson grew up on the farm, which his great-grandfather bought around 1865. (Photo provided)

As a youth, Dickson attended the Gordon, Bertram, Bristol and Yorkville grade schools and graduated from Yorkville High School in 1954. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from the University of Illinois and a teachering certificate from Northern Illinois University. He then taught three years at Alden-Hebron High School in Hebron.

Dickson later left teaching and worked in insurance sales with Country Companies from 1963 to 1975. In 1975, he, Don Ament and Jessie Leach formed the Zieter-Dickson Insurance Agency in Illinois. He retired from the agency in 2002.

He also was a member of the Yorkville Lions Club, Kendall County Historical Society, The Kendall County Farm Bureau and was a Yorkville O2 Board Member.

The Dickson family will receive friends at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2505 Boomer Lane, Yorkville, on Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be Wednesday, Nov. 17, with visitation at Trinity United Methodist Church from noon until time of Funeral Service at 2 p.m. Interment to follow at Oak Grove Cemetery, Bristol, IL.

Visit https://www.kurtzmemorialchapel.com/obituaries/Richard-W-Shorty-Dickson?obId=23049341#/obituaryInfo to read Dickson’s complete obituary.