Elaine "Joie" Dickinson of Wolverine Lake passed away Friday evening July 24, 2020 at age 82.

Elaine was born November 1, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Abraham and Louise (Knight) Thomas.

Beloved wife of the late Larry Dickinson, loving mother of Cheryl Weaver, David (Tanya) Weaver, Lisa (G) Howard, Jim (Majela) Morris and Dave Challender; proud grandmother of Erica (Aaron) Thomas, Shane (Kellie) Barnaby, Ashley (Jeremy Bulaun) Morris, Sera Weaver, Brandon (Chelsea) Grimm, Lynisha Brown, Ethan Morris, Roger Weaver, Samantha Weaver, Ryan Weaver, Audrey Challender, Theo Weaver and Breonna Weaver; great grandmother of Lyla Grimm, Daisean Boyd Jr., and Aleece Boyd; dear sister of Gerry (Diane) Dickinson.

The Dickinson family will receive guests 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm Monday, August 3, at Thayer-Rock Funeral Home. Elaine loved the Detroit Tigers! For visitation, please wear your favorite Detroit Tiger apparel.

Elaine's Funeral Service will be 11:00 am (10:30 am in state) Tuesday, August 4, at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer 1800 W. Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI 48009.

Following the state mandate, facial masks are required at the funeral home and at church.

Elaine's Life story:

Elaine Dickinson was a vibrant person to know and to love. She lived her life with a positive outlook that supported her during life's greatest challenges. She was well loved by her wonderful family. There is no doubt that her spunky sense of humor and her life-of-the-party personality will be dearly missed by her loving family as they move forward without her physical presence.

Elaine's story begins on November 1, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan while the nation was still recovering from tough economic times. She was born the only child to AJ and Louise Thomas bringing great joy and hope into their lives. Her father worked as a lawyer and an evidence instructor and her mother worked as his secretary in addition to managing the household. They were always proud to have raised such a respectful and well mannered daughter.

Elaine had a childhood filled with many adventurous memories! She was known to have survived falling out of a moving car and cracking her skull at the age of four years old! She was also the proud owner of a pet alligator from her uncle that eventually grew to fill the space of the family bathtub! Later, the alligator made it's home at the Detroit Zoo. Her family affectionately nicknamed her, Joie, from her middle name Joanna. She was doted on by her parents and her mother never skipped a day of French braiding her hair. Each and every summer they spent time together at Platte Lake where Elaine loved to explore nature and grew fond of fishing. A favorite childhood hobby was going horseback riding with her family. Always one to have high expectations for herself and others, she once broke up with a boyfriend because he spit on the sidewalk while walking her home from the movies! Driven as well as ambitious, she was always a good student who followed the rules and graduated from Cooley High School.

Shortly after graduation, she met her first husband and the father of her three wonderful children; Cheryl, David, and Lisa. Although she worked outside the home, she always found the time to be a loving mom. She treasured the years of making her children handmade clothes as well as their annual Halloween costumes. Elaine loved replicating her mother's Blitz Torte cake for family birthday celebrations. She had perfected this meringue topped banana pudding cake which became a tradition over the years. Sadly, her first marriage ended in divorce, yet her fierce independence was admirable as she continued to raise her children as a single mother. The children recall that there was never a dull moment with Elaine! Once she spotted a turtle at the side of the road. She pulled over with a plan to take it back to a local pond. She managed to get it into the back of the station wagon, yet the turtle started snapping uncontrollably at the children. She then had to quickly get the turtle back out! They never forgot that story over the years. Her work as a legal secretary helped to sustain them. Elaine did enjoy the work, yet she mostly liked to treat her co-workers to her special baked goods and cakes! Known to bring in snacks for everyone during these years, she made many lasting friendships.

Little did she know that her life would take a change for the better when she bravely attended her 40th high school reunion. Reunited with her classmate, Larry Dickinson, the two of them hit it off that evening! They reminisced about their years during school as well as after graduation. Dating for about a year, they developed a strong desire to travel abroad together. Elaine insisted they were married first and as a result, they secretly joined in marriage at the local courthouse. They were then able to travel to England together and hold a separate wedding ceremony a year later with their families. Both fond of travel, they took many memorable vacations together and were blessed with a beautiful marriage for nearly twenty years. They loved to spend their time with their children and grandchildren as well as entertain friends in their home. No greater testimony of their love was the tender care that Elaine gave selflessly to Larry during his recovery from a stroke. For eight years, she took the very best of care of him until he passed away in 2018.

Elaine lived a beautiful life enjoying many simple pleasures. She had a long history of enjoying trips up north to go fishing. She continued her love of sewing and making special items for her growing family over the years. For many years, she created elaborate cookie houses from scratch. They were often donated to local charities or restaurants during the holidays. Elaine also enjoyed canning fruits and vegetables every year. Immensely proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she treasured their special visits over the years. An avid Detroit Tigers baseball fan, they grew accustomed to her yelling "Sock it to 'em!" at the TV whenever they were on! Win or lose, she remained a faithful fan for many years.

Social by nature, in her later years, she never passed up her daily morning breakfast at Big Boy with her special friends. Starting off her day with laughter and the connection with other people meant a lot to Elaine. She treated everyone with kindness and respect, a legacy she leaves behind to her abundant family. Elaine wanted nothing more than the very best for her many special friends and loved ones. May they always look back fondly on her many special memories and may their lives reflect the joy she shared with so many over the years.

Monday, August 03, 2020

3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

33603 Grand River Avenue
Farmington, Michigan 48335

Directions Funeral Service Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

11:00 AM

1800 W. Maple Road
Birmingham, MI 48009

Directions