Edith M Dickinson

Edith was born Nov. 20, 1931, during the Depression, to Bertha (Bubl) and Jerry Citta in Chicago, IL.

After graduation from West Grand Elementary School, she went to Springfield High School where she met her future husband, Fred Dickinson.

Although not encouraged by her father to attend college, she on her own won a Harold Prenn scholarship to the Memorial School of Nursing in Springfield, IL. This pleased her mother.

Following her graduation, she married Fred on Oct. 10, 1953 in Springfield. Fred was drafted into the U.S. Army a month later and sent to Tokyo, Japan. Taking the opportunity to see the Orient, she followed Fred to Tokyo and worked as a civilian nurse in the Tokyo Army Hospital.

Returning to the U.S.A. after Fred’s discharge, she dedicated her time to raising her daughters: Meg and twins Aimee and Kim.

Edith is missed by her husband, three daughters, as well as seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one sister, Barbara (Floyd) Dossett, all of whom love her very much.

In 1961, Caterpillar sent the family to Geneva, Switzerland, where Edith helped establish the first volunteer nurses program. She did extensive traveling with the American Woman’s Club, even visiting her father’s homeland of Czechoslovakia. She also danced with a Prince in Vienna, Austria.

Five years later, Caterpillar sent the family to Hong King, BCC where again Edith visited many exotic locales with the American Woman’s Club, such as Nepal, Angkor Wat, and the Taj Mahal in India. During her residency in Hong Kong she joined the visiting nurses group administering medical services to the people in resettlement areas.

In 1970, Caterpillar sent the family back to the U.S.A., where Edith went to work at St. Francis Medical Center as a nurse in Neurology. At the age of 60, she returned to college and completed her advanced degree in Nursing.

She was proud to be an active registered nurse and her services worldwide will be sorely missed.

Cremation rites have been accorded, with a private family ceremony. Davison-Fulton Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home in Peoria is in charge of arrangements.