Graham Dickson

Graham Dickson, 76, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, died Monday, October 3, 2005, at St. Bernard’s Medical Center in Jonesboro. He is survived by his wife, Paula Sue Dickson and 1 son, Michael Dickson, both of Jonesboro. He was preceded in death by his mother, Iva Loraine Dickson and his father, Edwin Witt Dickson.

Born in Brookland, Arkansas, he was a graduate of Brookland High School and attended Arkansas State University on a baseball scholarship. He signed to play baseball for the New York Yankees and played first base for the Oklahoma City farm club in 1948. His contract was then optioned to the Cleveland Indians where he played with the McAlister, Oklahoma and Fort Smith, Arkansas teams until 1953.

He joined George and Skeeter Kell in Tri-State Sporting Goods in Kennett, Missouri in 1954. He moved with his family to West Memphis, Arkansas in 1956 where he worked for McCall’s Tire and Appliance until moving back to Jonesboro and working with Ralph Childs at Childs’ Office Equipment. He later joined Crane Company of Jonesboro where he worked as Purchasing Supervisor for 22 years.

He managed Bomanite of Northeast Arkansas and Bomanite of Memphis prior to moving to Cherokee Village to retire in 1990. While in Cherokee Village he became a builder and helped found Arrowhead Construction as well as the Cherokee Village Homebuilders Association. He later joined Daggett Development where he was Projects Supervisor for Daggett Properties in Cherokee Village.

He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast and was active in both the Jonesboro Country Club Men’s Golf Association where he was tournament chairman for 9 years and was instrumental in forming the popular Men’s Four Ball Golf Tournament and in Cherokee Village where helped create the Cherokee Cup, the annual tournament between the members of the North Golf Course and the members of the South Golf Course. He was also instrumental in creating the Thunderbird Open, the annual August Golf Tournament in Cherokee Village.

Graham worked for the Arkansas Activities Association as a High School Football and Basketball Referee for 28 years. He and his wife are members of the Cherokee Village United Methodist Church.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2005, in the Chapel of Emerson Funeral Home with the Reverend Norman Fedderly officiating. Burial will follow in Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Wednesday evening from 5:00-7:00 at Emerson Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Louis Schaaf, Skip Covington, Henry Gschwend, Tom Gschwend,
Robert Box, Joe McAlister and Ron Rhodes.

Memorials may be made to The Cherokee Village United Methodist Church, or the Arkansas State University Men’s Golf Team, or the Arkansas State University Baseball Program.