Patricia Ann Dickey, 67
Patricia Ann Dickey, 67, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
Pat was born March 16, 1952, in Bozeman to Paul and Bertha Eblen. She was raised on a ranch just north of Belgrade, back when you had few neighbors but they were there when you needed them. Pat was the second child born into her family. She followed her older brother Wayne, then Colleen and Mark came later. Pat attended primary school in a one-room schoolhouse in Pass Creek. In 1968 her younger sister Colleen was diagnosed with a medical condition, later passing in 1971. Pat attended Belgrade High School, where she graduated with honors in 1970. After her graduation, with limited financial resources and big goals, she applied for and received many scholarships, which allowed her to attend Montana State University. In July 1972, she married her high school sweetheart, David Dickey. After graduating from MSU, as a member of SPURS National Honors Society, she received a dietetic internship through Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She worked a full-time job on top of completing her studies.
In 1977 Dave and Pat traveled back to Montana wanting to plant their roots in the Northwest. Dave, being a journeyman plumber, was offered a job in Kalispell by R.H. Grover. After moving to Kalispell, Pat worked traveling around to rural schools testing children’s hearing until she was employed by WIC and was able to get back to her dietary roots. When a position opened up at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in 1978, she worked tirelessly as the dietary manager. She continued her work at KRMC, working as a registered dietitian while also working at Home Options, Kalispell Medical Equipment and North Valley Hospital. In her 36 years working for KRMC, Pat received many awards, including Employee of the Year, Guardian of the Month and the Brassett Award. She was also awarded Young Dietitian of the Year through the American Dietetic Association in 1978. She studied very hard and passed her test to be qualified to help with oncology patients.
While accomplishing all this, Pat became a mother to her three boys, Brian (born in 1978), Clarke (born in 1981), and Justin (born in 1984). Pat instilled a very strong worth ethic in her boys.
In her spare time Pat enjoyed attending holiday craft bazaars, farmers markets and auctions. She was one of George Strait’s biggest and most loyal fans. Pat loved and supported the local 4H and FFA programs and was a big supporter of the Livestock Fair Auction. She also loved her horses, old country music, collecting chickens, watching and supporting Kalispell Lakers baseball, tending to her “jungle” of plants, and her dogs Barley and Belle. She loved to spend time with her three boys and her grandbabies.
Pat was always the first to lend a helping hand and was known to be generous, loyal and a caregiver. She was the pillar of her family, hosting many events at her house, and was always in charge of bringing her delicious rolls.
She was preceded in death by her parents Paul and Bertha Eblen, siblings Wayne and Colleen Eblen, and her granddaughters Carly and Chloe Dickey.
Pat is survived by her husband David Dickey, children Brian (Carrie) Dickey and their son Jack of Kalispell, Justin (Heather) Dickey and their children Aubree and Baylee of Kalispell, and Clarke Dickey and his fiance Carol Silva of Whitefish. She also leaves behind numerous cousins and friends.
The Dickey family would like to send a heartfelt thanks to Dr. Winkle, Dr. Krass, Dr. Obermiller, Dr. Keaton, Home Options, and all the wonderful ICU nurses who treated her as family.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct.10, at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks to please consider donating to the Kalispell Regional Health Foundation.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.