Esther B. Dickey

Evans, GA—Esther Margaret Behner Dickey died February 1, 2007 at Brandon Wilde from complications of a stroke. She was born March 27, 1909 in New Paris, Ohio, to Dr. Frederick and Flora Etta Dreisbach Behner. She was predeceased by her husband George Dickey; a sister, Mary Christopher of Morgantown, WV and a brother Fred Behner of Dearborn, MI. She is survived by her nieces Margaret Mitchell of Baltimore, Maryland; Elizabeth Burger, Charleston, WV; Harriet Sawyer of Northville, MI and their families. Mrs. Dickey was educated at Southern Seminary, Buena Vista, VA and Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York, majoring in piano. She moved to Milwaukee to work for the Brouwer Shoe Co. in public relations and then went to Detroit to study piano with Gladys Luloff. She then worked for IBM in New York City to teach secretaries to use the new electronic typewriters, creating a working with music technique. She retired to Detroit to be secretary-treasurer to the Ford Building Co. and played piano live on Detroit radio stations. After her 1945 marriage to George A. Dickey of Toledo, Ohio, they lived in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, where she was an avid tennis player and designed the Tanline tennis dress. They also lived in Chicago and St. Louis where she raised money for the symphony. The Dickey’s retired to Hilton Head, SC where she started the Hilton Head Herb Society and did cooking lectures. They moved to Aiken, SC and then Clemson, SC, where they raised money for the new college performing arts center. The Dickey’s moved to Brandon Wilde in 1994. Mrs. Dickey created an endowment at Brandon Wilde to promote research in Alzheimer’s disease which took the life of her sister-in-law. Because of another endowment, the Dickey Dining Room was named in their honor. A private Celebration of Life will be conducted. The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Caroline Dickey Endowment for Alzheimer’s Research, Brandon Wilde, 4275 Owens Rd., Evans GA 30809. Stephen D. Posey Funeral Home of North Augusta in charge of arrangements (803-278-1181). Visit the registry at www.poseyfuneralhome.com.

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Esther B. Dickey

March 27, 1909 - February 1, 2007