RIVERTON -- A celebration of the life of George A. Dickson, 88, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 8, 2006, at Davis Funeral Home in Riverton with Pastor Bill Carlson of the United Methodist Church officiating and Veterans of Foreign Wars according military honors.

Immediately after the services, friends are invited to a dinner at the VFW Hall in Riverton to share stories about him and his life.

Burial will take place at the Dayton Cemetery at a later date.

He died April 5, 2006, at his home in Riverton.

He was born in Dayton on Jan. 15, 1918, the first son of Bly and Ruby Dickson. He grew up in the Big Horn Mountains and in Sheridan.

He attended schools in Sheridan and graduated from high school there in 1936. He attended three years of college at Colorado State University in Fort Collins prior to entering the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941. He served in the South Pacific, primarily in New Guinea, for 31 months as a radio operator.

After returning to the United States, he met and courted Dixie Van Alstyne of Long Beach, Calif. They were married Dec. 25, 1945, in Dayton.

They lived in Fort Collins while he finished his degree, receiving a bachelor of science degree in range management in 1950.

He started his career with the Soil Conservation Service in Buffalo. He was recalled into military service for the Korean War in 1950. He served in the Army Infantry, primarily at Fort Carson, Colo.

After his discharge, he returned to Buffalo and his previous job. They were transferred to Hulett and then to Riverton, where he remained until his retirement in 1973 at age 55.

He continued to work part-time at various jobs until the age of 70.

He was involved in several organizations and with his World War II Air Force reunions, starting in 1958. In recent years, he traveled to them on an annual basis and often, family would attend with him.

His favorite hobbies were fly fishing, stamp collecting and hunting.

Survivors include his wife, a brother, Bly Jr., of Seattle; his children, Jim of Kehei, Maui, Hawaii and Gina Decker of Newberry, S.C.; five grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and many World War II buddies, friends and neighbors.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a younger sister.

Memorials may be made to Little Wind Hospice or the Veterans of Foreign Wars, in care of Davis Funeral Home, 2203 W. Main, Riverton, 82501.

Services are under the direction of Davis Funeral Home of Riverton.