This is Doug's truck which led his funeral procession.  Fitting for a man who drove a semi all of his life.
Doug was one of my godparents and was also my namesake. He was one of my father's first students at Appanoose Grade School (K-8) in the Pomona, KS school district where my father taught and was principal for the first 15 years of his career. Doug and his family were neighbors to my parents. Doug was one of my father's very special students and friends. His loss was felt by many person, including his parents, siblings, wife, two children, and the many persons who's lives Doug touched through his few years on this earth.
I tell all of you who see this page, tell the people you love how you feel. You never know when they will be taken from you. I've learned this year to let people know that you care about them, for your sake and theirs. I am glad to know that Doug knew how I felt and that his family is still a big part of my life. They are another family to me altogether.

Douglas Wayne Dickinson
"SHADETREE"
Born:  April 28th, 1958
Died:  April 18th, 1999
 

Doug "lost" his encounter with Cancer, but "gained" access to God's Kingdom. Please remember that no matter how tough something you go through is, God has a reason, although you may never know it. I can understand the pain anyone is going through with the losses of those that I loved this past year and a half. I have been very lucky to many of my friends and family who have helped me through this all. (In no particular order) Nat, Heather, Kurt, Liz, Lance, Matt, Brian, Daren, and anyone else I've missed. Thank you. To Doug, I know that you are watching down upon us and helping us get through all the tough times, enjoying the good times with us. I'm glad to know I have another angel on my shoulder cause you know as well as I do, I need it.

ROLL ON
(as recorded by ALABAMA)

Roll On highway, Roll On a-long.
Roll On daddy till you get back home.
Roll on family, Roll On crew.
Roll On mama like I asked you to do.
And Roll On Eighteen Wheeler, Roll On.

verse 1
Well it's Monday mornin', he's kissin' mama goodbye.
He's up and gone with the sun.
Daddy drives an eighteen wheeler,
and he's off on a midwest run.

And three sad faces gather 'round mama.
They ask her when daddy's comin' home.
Daddy drives an eighteen wheeler,
and they sure miss him when he's gone.

Climb 1:
Ah, but he calls 'em ev'ry night and tells 'em
that he loves them.
He taught 'em this song to sing:

(repeat chorus 1)
verse 2
Well it's Wednesday evening.
Mama's waitin' by the phone.
It rings but it's not his voice.
Seems the highway patrol has found a jack-knifed rig
in a snowbank in Illinois.

But the driver was missin',
and the search had been abandoned
'cause the weather had ev'rything stalled.
And they had checked all the houses and the local motels;
when they had some more news they'd call.

Climb 2:
And she told them when they found him to tell him
that she loved him.
And she hung up the phone singin':

Chorus 2:
Roll On highway, Roll On along.
Roll On daddy till you get back home.
Roll on fam'ly, Roll On crew.
Roll On mama like I asked you to do.
And Roll On Eighteen Wheeler, Roll On.

Bridge:
Mama and the children will be waiting up all night long,
thinkin' nothin' but the worst is comin'
with the ring-in' of the telephone.
Oh, but the Man upstairs was list'nin'
when Mama asked him to bring Daddy home.
And when the call came in, it was Daddy on the other end,
askin' her if she had been a-singin' the song, singin':

REPEAT Chorus 2

Eighteen wheeler
Eighteen wheeler
Eighteen wheeler
Eighteen wheeler----(hold until finally "roll on!")
Roll On!


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