Dick Dickinson

Mr. Gerald Potter (Dick) Dickinson of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina passed away on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 after an extended illness.  Born in Durham, NC on February 6, 1935, Dick was married to the late Caroline Haskell Pinckney Dickinson for 49 years. A native of Beaufort, North Carolina, Dick spent his early years boating in and exploring the rivers and sounds of his beloved Carteret County and watching movies with friends at his family's theater on Beaufort's Front Street.   After graduating from the Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated from The Citadel in 1958 with a degree in Political Science. With a career on the Charleston Waterfront which spanned over fifty years, Dick retired from Dickinson, Mikell and Comar, Inc., a Customs House Brokers Foreign Freight Forwarders company and DMC Shipping in 1989.  In his retirement, he worked for FedEx International Transportation.  Dick was a member of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, the Propeller Club of Charleston, The General Society of Colonial Wars in the State of South Carolina, Huguenot Society, Fort Sumter Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Palmetto Guard, Carolina Supper Club, Charleston Republican Party, the Citadel Brigadier Club and the Citadel Class of 1958 Tailgate Club.  Dick is survived by daughters, Pauline Pinckney Dickinson, and Mary Gaillard Dickinson Perez and her husband John David Perez of Mount Pleasant; and son, Gerald P. (Gerry) Dickinson, Jr. of Columbia; and four grandchildren Richard Dickinson Perez; John Gaillard Perez; Cantey Plowden Perez; and Caroline Pinckney Stender; and his sister Billie Mace Durham and brother-in-law Carey Martin Durham of Troy, NC, brother-in-law Gaillard (Bubby) Pinckney of Columbia,  Sisters-in-law Sarah Pinckney Hanckel and Verdier Pinckney Fritz of Charleston.  He is also survived by his faithful companions Maggie, Pepper, Stray and New Cat.Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Caroline who passed away in 2006; his father, Gerald P. Dickinson; mother, Pauline Julian Mace; stepfather, William Arendell Mace; and sister, Geraldine Dickinson Gaskins. His children would like to thank his many good friends and family members who cared for Dick the past three years including the wonderful and caring nurses and doctors at MUSC and Durst Family Medicine, the staff of Beacon Hospice, niece Susan Darlington Harris, Ned and Louisa Montgomery, and all his Citadel classmates.  Dick's friends and family are invited to attend his visitation  at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL,1494 Mathis Ferry Road on Friday, December 17, from 5:00PM to 7:00PM. The funeral service will be at Saint Andrew's Church, 440 Whilden Street, Mt. Pleasant on Saturday, December 18 at 11:00 AM.  Burial will follow in Christ Episcopal Churchyard on Highway 17 North in Mt. Pleasant.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of your choice or to the Ann Darlington Edwards Endowed Chair in Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, c/o the MUSC Foundation, Post Office Box MSC450, Charleston, SC 29425.