Galen Leroy Dickey

September 25, 1937 - December 14, 2020

Galen Leroy Dickey, 83, of Clayton, Ohio was called to heaven on December 14, 2020. His love for his family, his head for numbers, and his great laugh will be carried in the hearts of his family and friends, as we move forward through this sad time. He was born in Woodington, Ohio on September 25, 1937 to William Melvin “Boots” Dickey and Pauline Ruth Dickey. He lost his father in 1944 in the Battle of the Bulge in Martelange, Belgium. His mom remarried and his stepdad Willard Castle adored Galen. Galen went to Greenville High School (class of 1955) and got the opportunity to walk Martha Lee McGlinch home from the roller skating rink in 1953, when her girlfriend got sick and left early. On October 12, 1955 at the ripe old ages of 17 and 18, they married (65 years October 2020). Galen enlisted in the Air Force on July 22, 1955. His first assignment was at Sampson AFB in New York. After completing Nuclear Weapons Mechanics Technical School at Lowry AFB in Denver, Colorado, he was sent to RAF Stations Sculthope, Woodbridge, and Bentwaters in England. He and Martha lived in England from February 1956 to February 1959. No surprise to any who knew him, he was awarded a Good Conduct Award while in the service. He and his precious wife returned to Ohio and he enrolled in and completed an Associates’ Degree Program in Higher Accounting at Business Administration at Miami Jacobs College in Dayton in 1961. He worked with the federal government, first with the Internal Revenue Service and later at Wright-Patterson AFB, from November 1961 to March 1993. In 1993, he retired with 35 years of federal service. He received many awards during the course of his career for his knowledge and his dedication. He spent about a year “relaxing,” but decided that retirement wasn’t for him and he went back to work as a Tax Agent for the City of Vandalia from 1994-2007. He was also a familiar face at Kroger in Vandalia working part-time as a checker for 21 years. He and Martha were members of the Englewood United Methodist Church, where he often served as an usher. His son Gareth was born in 1960 and daughter Gayle was born in 1962. The greatest loves of his life were: his wife, his children, fishing, and sports. He took his family on vacation for a week every summer to Michigan or Minnesota to catch walleye and water ski. He was quite an accomplished fisherman and water skier and taught both of his children how to fish, how to water ski, and how to stay really quiet in an aluminum boat! He loved Northmont High School football, University of Dayton football and followed Ohio State and the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns were off the schedule, he chose to not to support another Ohio football team until they returned. He was preceded in death by his father William Dickey, his stepfather Willard Castle and his mother Pauline Castle. He is survived by his wife Martha of Clayton, sister Wanda (Jim) Caupp of Greenville, son Gareth (Irene) Dickey of Centerville OH, grandson Chris (Samantha) Dickey & great grandson Graham of Centerville, OH, grandson Matt (Lauren) Dickey & great granddaughter Charlotte and great grandsons Lucas and Hudson of Kettering OH, and grandson Michael Dickey of Chicago IL, daughter Gayle (Rick) Bashor of Lafayette, CO, grandson Devin Huston of Broomfield CO, grandson Ian (Shy) Huston of Denver CO, and granddaughter Kaitlyn Huston of Virginia Beach VA. He was a devoted and much adored dad, granddad and great granddad. Our hearts are so heavy with this loss. A public walk-through visitation will be held on Thursday, December 17, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Kindred Funeral Home (400 Union Blvd., Englewood). Private services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 18, 2020 at the funeral home with Rev. Kim Armentrout officiating. Interment will follow at Polk Grove Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family asks that you please wear a mask and maintain social distancing. To view the service for Galen and to leave online condolences to the family, please visit www.KindredFuneralHome.com “God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day. And when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray. When in the Lord’s safe landing net, I’m peacefully asleep; that in his mercy I be judged as BIG ENOUGH TO KEEP.” To view the service for Galen, please click the link below: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/42862