Irene Mary Dickey

Embden- Irene M. Dickey 84 of Embden passed away Friday Dec. 20, 2013 at Tissues Country Estate in Athens.

Irene was born in Pittsfield, Vermont on May 18, 1929. She was the daughter of Hattie Sulham. She went to school in Vermont. She moved to Harmony, Maine in 1950. Then moved to Skowhegan in 1951 and started working at the Skowhegan Handle Company where she met her future husband Homer J. Dickey. They were married on July 31, 1953 and moved to Embden at the same time where she was a long time resident. She then worked at North Anson Reel for 33 years, then briefly worked at Tissues Boarding Home before she fully retired in 1991.

She loved singing and dancing to her music. She loved doing needlepoint, Artex, Ceramics, and her dolls that she made, and also liked playing bingo. She did belong to the VFW Auxiliary, and was an Artex instructor. She truly loved her animals especially her cat "Buffy" who she rescued at the Reel mill as a kitten and nursed her back to health.

Irene was predeceased by her husband Homer of 24 years, her mother Hattie, her son Melvin, her sister Alice and her great grandson Noah.

She is survived by her four children: 2 daughters Linda Gray and husband Terry of Embden, Judith Kitchin and husband James Sr. of Skowhegan, 2 sons John Dickey and wife Barbara of Perry, Flo. and Kenneth Dickey of Leeds Maine. Grandchildren: Debra Gray, Terry Gray II, James Kitchin Jr., JJ Whiddon, Heath Whiddon, Felicia Whiddon, Brandon Dickey, Devon Dickey, Alex Dickey, and Tracy Welsch. One very special niece Irene Eleanor Tuttle of Westfield, Mass. 14 Great Grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and many Great nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held on Dec. 27, 2013 from 6-8pm at Smart & Edwards Funeral Home in Skowhegan.

A graveside service will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Irene's name to the Somerset Humane Society P.O Box 453 Skowhegan, ME 04976.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Tissues Country Estates, to Maine General Hospice and to Dr. Ann Goodman for the great care and compassion they showed our mother.