Ila Cooper Dickerson

Ila Dickerson, age 93 of Stone Mountain, GA, was reunited with her husband Charles in paradise February 23, 2015 following a long illness. She departed peacefully, embraced by family at her side. Her passion for life, family, friends and people was felt by those around her who were uplifted by her loving and caring nature, especially in her roles as wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend where she was much endeared and the impression she left a touching lasting one.

Ila was born in Forsyth, GA the daughter of Amanda and Franklin Cooper and the youngest of 10 children. She grew up in Senoia, GA and moved to Atlanta, GA in 1939 to enroll in the Georgia Baptist Hospital Nursing School. She graduated in 1942 beginning a lifelong calling to nursing where her talents and heart for loving, tending to and caring for others found a natural union. She responded to her nation's call upon graduation and enlisted in the U.S. Army Nursing Corps serving from 1942 to the end of World War II. Afterwards, she returned to Atlanta where she continued her nursing career. One of her nursing stops was at Lockheed Aircraft during a portion of the 1950's where she met the love of her life, Charles, whom she soon married for what became a 58 year love affair.

After raising a family of four children, where at times during those years she continued to work temporary stints as a nurse, she resumed her nursing career eventually culminating as a nurse with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) assigned to the employee health clinic in the main office in downtown Atlanta. In her last years with the HHS employee health clinic operation she became the Southeast Regional Director for those clinics. Though she retired from HHS and active nursing in 1983, she considered herself a lifelong nurse exuding an attitude of love, caring and compassion not only toward her family, but all who met her.

Ila's love for her family and others was only excelled by her love for God, a love that was clearly seen and demonstrated in how she lived. She enjoyed reading (she never met a book she didn't like), sewing, baking, gardening, learning, travel, and above all helping and comforting others.

Her life was a testimony rich in love, respect, loyalty, laughter and kindness which graced everyone in her life story instilling in them the desire to not only return those gestures in kind, but through her example share them with others. Her physical presence will be sorely missed, though her fun loving vivacious spirit, good humor and tremendous heart remain a legacy imprinted on all she encountered leaving them better persons and their lives enriched for the experience.

Ila is survived by her daughter Peggy (Carter) Sammon; sons Don (Connie) Dickerson, David (Lynn) Dickerson and Chuck Dickerson; grandchildren Alaina (Owen) Conner, Alicia (Jamie) Horner, Amanda (Jim) Maciejewski, Joshua (Kelly) Dickerson, Michelle (Mike) Mathis, Scott Browne, Danny (Monica) Browne, Jennifer (Eric) Olfano, Brice (Alison) Hope and Brett Hope; great-grandchildren Aila Conner, Aubry Conner, Jadyn Dickerson, Gavin Dickerson, Olivia Maciejewski, Tiffany Mathis, Juliet Olfano, Madison Hope, Tyler Hope, Jackson Hope, Louie Hope and Bryson Hope.

In addition to or in lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in memoriam be made to Mount Carmel Christian Church (6015 Old Stone Mountain Rd.; Stone Mountain, GA 30087) or The Yellow Brick House (6903 Main Street, Lithonia, GA 30058). Her funeral services will be held 1:00 P.M. Friday, February 27, 2015 in the chapel of A.S. Turner and Sons with Senior Minister Art Stansberry officiating with interment to follow at the Floral Hills Memory Gardens Cemetery, Tucker, GA. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Thursday, February 26, 2015 at A.S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory in Decatur, GA.



Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033