Margaret Sue (Dickson) Dykman passed away at home on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, the same way she lived, with grace, filled with love, and surrounded by family. Margaret, daughter of Ervin and Aurelia (Bender) Dickson, was born on Jan. 30, 1932, and was raised in Wood, South Dakota, along with her three sisters and two brothers. She had a loving upbringing filled with family, strong women, faith, books, big band music and dancing.
In 1949 Margaret graduated from Wood High School along with nine classmates who frequently schemed together to find rides to the local weekend dances! She had a special bond with those classmates and remained in contact with them for the rest of their lives.
Margaret attended the University of South Dakota at Vermillion and graduated with a teaching degree in 1951. She accepted a second-grade teaching job in Wagner, South Dakota. It was there that she met her husband of 62 years, Claus Fred Dykman (“Dyke”) of Springfield, South Dakota. They were married Jan. 24, 1953, and had five children.
In 1960, with their growing family, Margaret and Dyke, along with 22 other families, moved to Tucson, Arizona to work at the ASARCO copper mine. They settled on a friendly street in the Mission Manor neighborhood, where they shared a loving home for the rest of their lives. Their door was always open to friends, relatives, and stray animals and there was always room for an extra place at the table. All of the neighborhood kids gathered at the Dykman house, where there were always special treats, laughs, projects, a helping hand and support.
As her children grew, Margaret returned to teaching as a substitute teacher for the Sunnyside School District, providing extra resources for additional activities and trips for her family. She also enjoyed working with her students, many of which were neighborhood kids, and making a difference in their lives. She managed her teaching work so as to still attend and enjoy all five of her kids’ various activities and make sure there were always homemade cookies and candy for them to enjoy.
She enjoyed traveling with Dyke, her children and friends. She relished watching her five grandkids grow-up and become wonderful loving adults. She reveled in their love and success. Her three great granddaughters always brought a bright smile and light to her day. She enjoyed reading, playing bingo, and spending time with friends and her cats and dogs. She loved history and genealogy and became a member of the Daughters of the America Revolution. She was an avid U of A Wildcat basketball fan and attended many games with her grandson Brian. She enjoyed watching the Little League World Series every year and rooting for the underdog team.
Margaret was a happy, kind, and tolerant person. She always had a kind word to share and time to listen, separate the wheat from the chaff, and provide the very best advice. She was generous with her time, love, and resources. She was selfless in everything she did and always put her children and family first. She shared her joy freely and taught her children and grandchildren to appreciate the small things in life, to love unconditionally, to forgive one another, to treasure each other, and to keep family traditions and memories alive. Life without her is unthinkable and yet we will continue to honor her with the hope of one day living up to the legacy of light and love that she left behind. And yes Mom, we will continue to take care of one another.
Those grateful for sharing in Margaret’s life are her five children and their spouses, Bonnie Dykman, Dianne (Jerry) Becker, Fred (Sis) Dykman, Gary (Norma) Dykman and Barb (TL) Garrett; five grandchildren, Brian Dykman, David Dykman, Danny (Billie) Dykman, Sarah (Troy) Dennison, and Dillion Becker; three great grandchildren, Riley Aurelia Dennison, Paige Elizabeth Dennison, Kinsley Sue Dykman; sister Louise Erdelt; brothers George Dickson and Willis “Kiki” Dickson; in-laws Betty (Gerald) Tjeerdsma, Marilyn Warrington, Peggy Odens, and Ron Schultz; many nieces and nephews; friends; and Patches, her cat. Margaret is preceded in death by Dyke, her husband of 62 years; her parents, and; sisters Rheba and Marie.
In lieu of flowers, please join us in prayers and/or donate to an animal shelter of your choice.
A private burial service was held for Margaret Dykman Saturday, April 10 at South Lawn Cemetery, Tucson, Arizona.
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