Clinton William Dickey was born July 10, 1987 in Waco, Texas and died February 13, 2010 at his residence in College Station, Texas at the age of 22.
Sgt. Dickey proudly served his country for five years in the United States Army. His service included two tours of duty, over the span of three years, in Afghanistan, having returned only last September from his most recent deployment. He was a psychological operations specialist assigned to the 345th Psychological Operations Company, Airborne, in Dallas, Texas.
At the time of his death, he was a sophomore at Texas A&M University, majoring in microbiology, in hopes of one day becoming a doctor.
Just last month, his family and friends sat in the pews of St. Louis Catholic Church, in Waco, Texas, as he married his high school sweetheart, Samantha.
On Friday, February 19, they returned to that church for his funeral. He was remember as being fun loving and charismatic, a devoted husband and son.
On the morning of February 19, Patriot Guard Riders gathered at the Oakcrest Funeral Home in Waco, Texas and rode in the procession from the funeral home to the church, delivering the casket of Sgt. Dickey for the services.
Those Riders then went to the veterans cemetery at Killeen and prepared for the arrival of the scores of family and friends. Fifty American flags were set out along the road at the committal shelter, and Riders stood at attention along those flags as the procession arrived at the cemetery.
The Riders then formed a line of flags around the shelter as final services were conducted and formal military honors rendered by a United States Army Honor Guard.
A "platoon" of Non-commissioned Officers stood in formation to the south of the shelter in honor of their fallen comrade.
A seven rifle detail fired three volleys of fire, representing Honor, Duty and Country. Taps was played by an Army bugler. And, as the sound of Taps faded in the Texas Hill Country, the flag that had draped Sgt. Dickey's casket was folded into a tight triangle and presented to Samantha Dickey, on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army, by Brigadier General Katherine Kasun. A flag was also presented to Sgt. Dickey’s mother, Beverly.
Sgt. Dickey was posthumously awarded the Army’s Meritorious Service Medal for his service to the Army and this country.
Sgt. Clinton William Dickey was then laid to rest, on a cold, blustery day, on the gentle slope of the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, as the American flag flew at half-staff, in his honor, on the hill above.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Samantha, his parents, Dale and Beverly Dickey, two brothers, a sister, grand-parents, and numerous dear family, friends and fellow soldiers.
Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.
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