Shirley May (Hildebrand) Dickson, 92, of Newhaven Court in Butler and formerly of Hydetown and Oil City, died Thursday, September 4, 2025, after a long illness.
Born January 3, 1933 at her grandparents’ home in Tarentum, she was the daughter of the late Ruth (Peindl) Hildebrand and Samuel Hildebrand.
She was a graduate of Summerville High School and attended Clarion State Teacher’s College, where she majored in Spanish and Speech. During high school and college, she worked at Snug Harbor, her parents’ restaurant, on Route 66 near New Bethlehem. She met her husband, William R. Dickson, on a blind date on New Year’s Eve 1952 and married him in 1953 on a snowy April 19. William and Shirley were married 52 years before his death in 2005.
Shirley was a long-time member and Lay Person of Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City, Belle Letters Club, Twig bridge group, Meals-On-Wheels, Wanango Country Club and president and board member of the Oil City Library. She loved cooking, poetry, reading, writing and nature as well as fishing and boating. She gathered a unique collection of friends through EFM at Christ Episcopal Church who continued to maintain contact with her years beyond initial meeting. Her trip to Spain in 1985 was a highlight for her. She enjoyed packing a picnic (who can forget chili in a thermos?) and trips to Pymatuning on cold early spring days.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary (Michael) Waggoner, of Butler, and two sons, William (Jennifer) Dickson of Ben Avon Heights, and Samuel (Kimberly) Dickson of Hydetown. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Kelly (Maximilian) Ripepi, and great granddaughter, Isabella of Gibsonia, Samuel Dickson of Ross Township and Ruby Waggoner and Amy Waggoner of Butler and as well as one sister Sandra Gahagen of New Bethlehem and numerous nieces and nephews.
Shirley’s family wishes to thank the team at Newhaven Court for love, fun and care since May 2021; and Amedisys Hospice for their compassionate care over the last 18 months.
In keeping with Shirley’s long-time wish, her body was donated to the University of Pittsburgh via Humanity Gifts Registry for anatomical study and research.
Family and friends will be received on Saturday, September 20, 2025, from 10-11 AM at SPENCER D. GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, 140 NEW CASTLE RD. BUTLER, PA 16001. WWW.SPENCERDGEIBEL.COM. A memorial service will immediately follow in the funeral home. Inurnment will be in Rynd Farm Cemetery, Rouseville, at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oil City Library, 2 Central Avenue, Oil City, PA 16301, Butler Meals on Wheels, 218 E. Jefferson Street, Butler, PA 16001 or a charity of one’s choice.
“…all will be well, and all will be well and every kind of thing will be well”—Julian of Norwich, 14 th century English anchoress.