BILLY DEAN DICKEY JULY 7, 1959 – NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Billy Dean Dickey, often referred to as “Gabby” to his friends, left this world Saturday evening, November 12, 2022. Bill was the only son of Billy Ray Dickey and Mary Evelyn “Evie” Dickey of Nevada, Missouri. He is survived by his wife, Ladena Bough, of the home; two sons, Eric Ray Dickey and Michael Ray Dickey (Kimberly); and a daughter, Christina Renee Leer; a stepdaughter, Heather Johannsen (Dennis); nine grandchildren, Carra Little, Tayler Turney, Ph’Ness Burton, Ezryah Burton, Isabella Dickey, Kennedy Dickey, Harley Johannsen, Dillion Bagby, Wyatt Thayer; three great-grandchildren, Brielle Little, Brycen Wegener and Alayna Wegener; two sisters, Pam Godsey (Chuck), and Anita Moore (Shirold); a niece, Jen Charles (Terry); two nephews, Mark Godsey and Jason Lathrop; and an untold number of friends. He was predeceased by his parents; a son, Shawn Dickey; a stepson, Christopher Koontz; a grandson, Malachi Dickey; and a nephew, Jonathon Lathrop.

Bill could sit and regale you with stories of his past for days (weeks?). He was an Army veteran, a craftsman, a heavy equipment operator, an artist, hunter, fisherman, but most would say he was a mountain man. He loved to go the rendezvous in the past to sell his craft items. He made knives, carved about anything, made complete mountain man clothing from buckskin, made Indian dresses from buckskin cutting each piece of fringe meticulously so they all hung straight and true. He worked farming off and on through his life, metal scrapper, body man and painter, and a host of other jobs through the years. He worked as a heavy equipment operator with Tom Rodgers, the brother he never had.

Bill got the name “Gabby” in the Stockton area, not so much for his stories but because his best friend, Keith Bough, kept calling him that after the doctors put him in gabapentin at one point. The name “Gabby” stuck around from day one. Bill and Keith loved going to auctions until they both got sick and couldn’t get out. Bill did finally give in and opened a FB page in the last couple of years to keep up with what his friends and family were doing.

There will be no funeral services, but a celebration of his life will be planned for later. We still haven’t figured out where to go since his passing. He was loved immensely and there is a hole the size of the world in our hearts. You lived your life as you wanted, honoring God in all your actions, and died on your terms. We will miss you always.