Tony Neal Dickson Jr. (1-17-20) service 2-1-20

Tony Neal Dickson Jr. was born at Hardin County General Hospital in Savannah on Oct. 15, 1966.

His parents, Greta Frances Shutt and Tony Neal Dickson Sr. welcomed him into their home where he was lovingly greeted by his big sister, Lisa.

Tony, as his friends called him, or Tony Neal, as he was known to his family, attended Columbia Military Academy in Columbia, Tennessee and Castle Heights Military Academy in Lebanon, Tennessee before graduating from Hardin County High School in Savannah.  His high school days were followed by entrance into the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a course of study he loved but was unable to complete due to the impending birth of his son, Trae.

When Tony was younger, his uncle Billy Dickson bought two horses, one for him and one for his sister, so most every afternoon found them at Billy’s farm in Olive Hill, riding for as long as they were allowed.  If he wasn’t there, you could probably find him on the towboat with his dad. It was a passion they both enjoyed and one that would later become his livelihood when he worked for Ingram Barge Company as a mate.

Golfing and boating at Pickwick were other pastimes that Tony Neal enjoyed as well as watching his favorite teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.  But when it came down to it, his greatest loves were his God, his family—especially his sons—and his friends. He had recently given his life to the Lord and had begun attending Lambuth United Methodist Church in Jackson. With a heart as big as Texas, you could depend on him in your time of need; he would do anything he could for anyone.

Tony Neal Dickson Jr. left this life on Friday, Jan. 17, at the age of 53 years, 3 months and 2 days.

He leaves his sons, Trae Neal Dickson and his wife Katlin of Murfreesboro and Alex Joshua “A.J.” Killingsworth of Savannah, as well as his loving sister, Lisa Griffith.

Other than his parents, Tony was preceded in death by his grandparents, W.E. Shutt Jr., Hadie Reed Shutt, Joe Dickson, Alma Dickson, and his step-grandmother, Lura Dickson.

The family has requested that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis or Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Memorial services were held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 3 p.m., at Shackelford Funeral Directors of Savannah with Steven Wilbanks officiating.