Evelyn Carolyn Dickson

A true Pueblo native, Evelyn Carolyn (Williams) Dickson was born October 9, 1925, at St. Mary Corwin Hospital in Pueblo, Colorado to Esther E. and Hubert B. Williams. She attended local grade schools and Central High School where she enjoyed tennis with her friends and played the bass drum in Stillman’s Lassies drum and bugle band.  She proudly graduated from Pueblo Junior College with an Associate of Arts Degree in Business in 1945 and was employed by School District 20 from 1942-1946.

Sweethearts from the start, Evelyn and Morton Dickson Jr. met during WWII while he was home on leave from the Army. With countless letters, they courted from afar until Morton was home for good after the war. With a storybook tale of romance, the pair eloped and were married February 27, 1946, in Albuquerque, New Mexico (aka Shangri La). They spent the next few years together in Colorado Springs, Colorado running the Rodeo Court and Hotel (including the restaurant) with Morton’s parents. 

In the early 1950s, Evelyn and Morton returned to Pueblo where they raised three rambunctious boys in a small house with a large garden (which was necessary for the assorted menagerie of pets, kids and neighborhood children). Generous with their time, Evelyn and Morton were active and devout members of their church participating with Sunday school, Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts of America. She enjoyed camping in the Colorado mountains and played a major role each summer in organizing and running a week of Boy Scout Camp for Troop 47. Evelyn was bestowed the Good Shepherd and Silver Beaver Awards by the BSA in honor of her time spent shaping young lives. 

As a daughter of the Great Depression, Evelyn embraced a lifestyle where frugality was a necessity, nothing was wasted, creativity was a virtue, resilience was a matter of fact, and greeting cards were cherished for a lifetime. Rarely seen without a craft or completed project nearby, Evelyn was tremendously creative. She was a ready participant in school art projects with her sons and a gifted Halloween costume maker each October. Her passion for needle point, crochet, upholstery, sewing, and quilting provided numerous gifts for friends and loved ones (especially newborns), the most cherished of which are the seven quilts she stitched for her grandchildren.

Evelyn’s love for others was apparent and never in short supply. Whether it was making weekly scheduling calls to her Tuesday Lunch Bunch, fixing an evening snack for her husband, sewing Easter outfits for her boys and dresses for her granddaughters, baking the coveted pizzelle cookies for her grandkids, helping numerous scouts complete their merit badges, or sneaking her way into the hospital claiming to be the sister of a friend in the delivery room (which was the only time she ever told a straight up lie). She was always ready to lend a hand and share her love.

At the Primrose, Evelyn was a friend to all. She arrived early to meals, greeting friends with a big smile and enthusiastic wave. Evelyn enjoyed the changing holidays, and kept her “push-mobile” adorned with festive decorations. She was always prepared with a copy of the daily menu and activity calendar to make sure no one missed anything important. An avid puzzler, Evelyn could often be found whistling away at the jigsaw puzzle tables. If not at the puzzle table, she could be found picking up a new book from the library, enjoying a treat at the ice cream social, keeping up with the buzz on all of her Hallmark shows, and applying for sweepstakes. After winning $10,000 from Publisher Clearing House in 2009, she was sure she’d win again!

Evelyn will be remembered for her sweet laugh, beautiful smile, steady whistling, and endearing and easy-going personality. We will forever hear Evelyn’s voice with these familiar sayings: “Happy as a lark,” “No foolin’,” “Everything is okey-dokey,” “Tickled to death,” “Don’t want to sleep the curls out,” “Cute as a bug’s ear,” and “That’s all right.”

Evelyn passed away peacefully on May 7, 2023, at the age of 97, surrounded by family and loving friends at the Primrose Retirement Center. She was preceded in death by her husband Morton Dickson Jr. in 2015. She is survived by her three sons and their families; Morton III (Rebecca Miller, predeceased by Marta) of Colorado Springs and children Morton IV (Adrienne) and Megan Burg (Elizabeth); Richard (Mary Ann, deceased) of Idaho Falls, ID and children Brian (Amanda), Julie Parantala (Paul), and Amy Olson (Jeff); Mark (Francine) of San Mateo, CA and children Rachael Dickson (Evan Housel) and Madeline MacMaster (Zach), and eight great-grandchildren.

Thank you, Evelyn, for your constant love, shining spirit, and all that you taught us. We love you. Toodle doo.

Arrangements are through Davis Mortuary of Pueblo, CO. A private memorial service for residents, staff, and invited friends is being held June 12, 2023, at 2:00 pm at Primrose Retirement Community, Pueblo, Colorado. Memorial gifts can be made to the Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 96280, Washington DC 20077 or the Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, 2605 Preamble Point, Colorado Springs, CO 80915.

Online condolences at DavisMortuary.com.