Dallas Dickinson

Dayton resident Dallas Dickinson, 73, died August 25, 2024, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA from complications of pneumonia. Her husband and daughters were with her.

Born on May 9, 1951, in Dayton to Benton L and Susan E (Harris) Dickinson, Dallas spent her early years in Starbuck, WA, attending school there and spending time with her Grandma Jennie Dickinson Zink who lived nearby. Starting in 1961, Dallas spent two school years in Tucson, Arizona with her mother and sisters Zena and Lois to give Dallas a chance to outgrow her asthma. Her father, Ben, would come down in the winter to be with his family, and Dallas's health did improve. The family lived on the Eckler Mountain property during the summer of 1963. It was a memorable time for everyone. Soon thereafter, the family moved to Dayton. Dallas's first day of school in Dayton found her seated behind an unruly kid named Mike McQuary. She endured that, and attended middle and high school, excelling, and graduated in 1969. By that time, the Dickinson family had moved again to a house 18 miles north of Dayton, when the Bar Z Ranch was born. In 1967 Ben took over the Jackson family land on the Pataha and farmed there until his death in 1988.

After high school, Dallas attended Eastern Washington University. She graduated with a degree in journalism. One of the highlights of her college years was a summer backpacking trip in Europe with a friend, Emily Noland. Dallas loved to travel and had adventures the rest of her life.

Dallas and Mike McQuary married in Spokane on February 25, 1977. They lived there for a year before moving to Dayton. Mike then farmed with his father-in-law Ben for 10 years, until Ben's death. Mike ran the farm for 10 more years after that. Mike and Dallas shared a love for each other, and of books, music, faith, and family. Their home has been a gathering place for family and friends for years – you always knew you would have a warm welcome, good conversation, and maybe some music!

Dallas and Mike welcomed Robin to the world on June 2, 1981; while living in Baileysburg. Clara joined the family on September 7, 1985. Soon after, they decided to move to the ranch on the Pataha to be close to Grandpa Ben and Nonnie and ranch work.

Dallas loved words and writing. One of her early jobs was as an editor for a local manuscript company, ghost writing for authors. She belonged to a local Scrabble group that met weekly and enjoyed playing word games every day. Dallas also served as a letter carrier with the Poster Service in Dayton and worked at McQuary's grocery. Later, she found her likely true calling. She became a secretary at the Dayton School District, a job she held for 23 years. Part of her contribution was writing grant applications and school newsletters. She also was a "nurse" and disciplinarian. She greeted everyone with a smile and a friendly face and was loved by both the kids and staff. Grown kids fondly remember her to this day.

Dallas was raised with an appreciation for faith, hard work, community, and love of history. She was a lifetime member of the First Congregational Church, serving as everything from clerk to treasurer to moderator on the Church Council. Singing in the choir was one of her joys in life. She was active in local groups including the Skyline Junior Club and the Blue Mountain Heritage Society. She volunteered as a docent at both BMHS museums. She also gathered historical information on pioneer families and served as board treasurer. In her free time from all that, she loved her flowers and flowering plants. She spent hours nurturing them and tending to them. She loved roses and always had a large bedful. Even more important to her were her daughters and grandchildren, who she adored. In the throes of her worst health issues in the past few years, she would beam when any of them dropped by to see her.

She and her sisters began exploring their family heritage in later years, and traveled to Illinois, New York, Missouri and Oklahoma following in the footsteps of their ancestors. After battling cancer in 2023, Dallas was able to travel with her two sisters and cousin Kari to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Denmark to visit the sites her father had stayed at during World War II. They also visited the birthplace of their great grandparents who emigrated to the US from Denmark and settled in Dayton. This trip was a long and arduous one for Dallas. It was a true testament to her strength, resilience and adventurous nature. She wouldn't have missed it for anything. Her spirit is now with those whose footsteps she followed.

Surviving family includes her husband of 47 years, Mike McQuary of Dayton; daughter Robin McQuary- Billow and husband Chris of Dayton; grandchildren Charlotte and Finnegan Billow of Dayton; daughter Clara Dickinson-McQuary of Walla Walla; raising twin boys Darius and Caspian with their father Marquelle Fowler.

She is also survived by her sister Lois Vankat (Ray) of Tacoma; Jennie Dickinson (Jay Ball) of Dayton; Nieces and nephews Abbie Broughton Marsh of Phoenix, AZ; Alexandra Blood Broughton (Ellery) of Moscow, ID; Ben Broughton (Jessica) of Lacey, WA; John Vankat (Diane) of Omaha, NE; Josilyn Armstrong (Austin) of Portland, OR; Daniel Harrington (Kahla) of Dayton, WA; Jayson Ball of Boulder, CO; Heather White (Hayden) of Walla Walla, WA; cousin Wynn Schell of Oroville, WA, and cousin Kari Pugh Hansen of Spokane, WA and numerous Harris cousins and precious great nieces and nephews she adored.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister and brother-in-law, Zena and Bill Broughton; a cousin, Joe Schell, and a daughter, Emily Jo Dickinson-McQuary.

A memorial service will be held at the Dayton First Congregational Church on October 12th at 11:00am followed by a lunch reception. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dayton First Congregational Church (214 S. 3rd St. Dayton, WA), the Ben Dickinson Scholarship Fund (c/o Bar Z Ranch, Inc, 252 N. Touchet Road, Dayton WA), or the Blue Mountain Heritage Society (PO Box 163, Dayton, WA).