DR. J R DICKEY
December 5, 1933 - July 3, 2022
Ray went home to heaven peacefully on July 3, 2022 at the age of 88. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. Although we miss him terribly, we are comforted to know the exact number of his days were planned by his Creator. He was born in Baker, Montana on December 5, 1933 to
Hilda Lorraine Leischner and Frank Rayner Dickey. His father was a civil engineering surveyor who moved from one hydro-electric project to another, so Ray attended 20 different schools in Montana, Minnesota, Colorado, and the Bahamas before graduating from Riverdale High School in North Dakota in 1952. He then went to the University of Montana in Missoula, graduating with a pre-med degree in 1956. Ray wanted to be in warmer weather near the coast, so he chose to attend Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where he graduated in 1960. He married Nancy Dean Myers while an intern, and they celebrated more than 60 years together before she passed away in 2021. Ray finished his residency in Otolaryngology in 1965, doing pioneer work on inner-ear surgery and becoming certified as a Head and Neck Surgeon. He was on the faculty at Baylor until 1969, when he began his private practice, Rosewood ENT. He and his outstanding partners grew the practice and have served many thousands of patients over the years. During his career, Ray was admired for his expertise, kindness, and humility, and he continued working for 48 years until 2017. He held various medical leadership positions, such as president of the Texas Medical Association’s ENT branch, and in 2021, he was recognized by the Houston Methodist administration for his exceptional contribution to health care in the Houston community.
Ray and Nancy lived on Oak Lane in Piney Point Village since 1972. He restored cars, such as a 1948 MGTC, a grand 1956 Bentley, and a 1961 Mercedes 300SL Roadster, and he enjoyed showing them at Keels and Wheels in Seabrook. Ray had two Chris Craft boats he worked on, and he also built a beautiful wooden canoe to take on Buffalo Bayou with friends. Like a museum, their house was full of old clocks, artwork, chronometers, ivory, and especially music boxes and organs he had collected. Ray spent hours every day after work in his tool shop, restoring and refinishing antiques to become things of beauty. He was the fixer of everything broken and made his grandkids wooden toys, pinewood derby cars, and swords. He was involved in the MG car club and the Music Box Society International for many years. Ray and Nancy traveled every year to MBSI meetings around the country to see music box collections and had groups to their house to show and play the boxes. These were his most joyful moments, playing music for friends and visitors.
Ray was a quiet man, but he did everything with unrelenting energy, including sports. He began running marathons in his 40’s and completed about 30 of them, including Boston and New York various times. He also did the MS-150 bicycle ride to Austin many times and was tough to keep up with! Ray was an avid water skier and spent many weekends on Canyon Lake in the 1970’s. He was a snow skier since his youth and enjoyed their condo in Crested Butte, CO through the 1990’s. Always seeking adventure, he got the whole family certified as scuba divers for vacations to islands in the Caribbean.
Ray and Nancy were members of Chapelwood United Methodist Church and the Candlelighters Sunday school class. In the 1980’s they went on backpacking trips in the mountains of Colorado with friends from church. He believed the wonder of creation on top of a mountain or under the sea is worth all the effort of getting there. Being a music-lover, he also faithfully sang in the Chancel Choir for 30 years. He and Nancy went on choir and other Chapelwood trips throughout Europe as well as medical missions to Nigeria. They also went on a safari in Africa and visited the Holyland, which were highlights of his life.
Ray had a deep faith, and although he didn’t share his feelings much, he was respected for his loyalty, eternal optimism and treatment of others, never saying a bad word about anyone.
He is survived by his brother, David Dickey; stepsister, Audelle Estes; son, Mark Dickey and his wife Hazel; daughter, Dana Jimenez and her husband Rodrigo; and grandkids, Simon and Rowan Dickey and Danny and Andrew Jimenez.
Our family appreciates the love and support shown over the years by friends, family, and recently, the compassionate caregivers at the Cottage of Spring Branch, Belmont Village and Crossroads Hospice, who were a blessing during his time of need. Ray went to be with the Lord in peace, ready to join those who have gone before him, including his wife Nancy; his father, Frank Dickey; his stepmother, Audrey Dickey; his mother, Hilda Leischner; his halfsister, Mary Rau Shultz; and his grandson, Liam Dickey.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Samaritan’s Purse at samaritanspurse.org.
Condolences may be offered at millerfuneral.com. Please refer to Miller Funeral for details regarding Ray’s celebration of life to be conducted in August.