Gerald P. Dickerson, 89, of Warsaw, died Dec. 11, 2009, in Miller's Merry Manor, Warsaw.
He was born Sept. 23, 1920, in Trinway, Ohio, to Joshua P. and Beatrice Stradley Dickerson. On Nov. 4, 1943, in Sioux Falls, S.D., he married Maxine Roberts, who died Jan. 28, 2004.
He enlisted two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec. 9, 1941) into the U.S. Army Air Corp., serving in World War II as a tail gunner in a B17 with the 2nd Air Force flying out of Italy. He flew more than 10 missions and was shot down Feb. 14, 1945, over Vienna, Austria. He became a prisoner of war when captured and held in Germany. Along with others liberated, those captured and released were greeted with a personal handshake displaying appreciation by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower for their service to the United State of America. SSgt Gerald P. Dickerson was honorably discharged in September 1945.
Moving to Warsaw from Newark, Ohio, five years ago, he was a sales agent with Prudential Insurance for 26 years, retiring in 1983. He was a member of Neal Avenue United Methodist Church and Former POW, both in Newark.
Surviving are a son, Jeffrey "Jeff" (and spouse Nancy) Dickerson, Warsaw; a daughter, Karen (and spouse James) Altstaetter, Granbury, Texas; five grandchildren: Joshua Dickerson, Warsaw; Brett Dickerson, Phoenix, Ariz.; Kristin (and spouse Michael) Hanna, Parker, Colo.; David (and spouse Suzanne) Altstaetter, Arlington, Texas; and Julie (and spouse Richard) Shaffer, Keller, Texas; five great-grandchildren: Noah, Zachary, Jace, Kathryn and Ryan; two sisters, Gene Baker and Marion Schaffer, both of Tucson, Ariz.; and a brother, Ronald (and spouse Pat) Dickerson, Tucson. He was preceded in death by a sister, Barbara Taylor, who died March 2, 2009, in Zanesville, Ohio.
Services were at 1 p.m. today at Neal Avenue United Methodist Church, Newark, Ohio, officiated by the Rev. John Harra of the church.
Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw, was in charge of arrangements.
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Memorials to Neal Avenue United Methodist Church, 73 Neal Ave., Newark, Ohio 43055.
