Michael R. Dickerson of East Hampton Remembered for Resilience

Michael Robert Dickerson, an East Hampton resident who was a descendent of Colonial era settler Lion Gardiner, died January 31 in hospice at Peconic Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 69.

In recent years, surfers at Beach Lane dubbed Dickerson “The Wainscott Walker” because he used a walker device when taking his dogs on the beach in all weather conditions almost every day of the week in every season. He astonished everyone for decades with his ability to come back from seemingly near-death experiences including cancer, stem cell transplant, brain surgeries, strokes and major heart operations. In 2020 a planned hip replacement was scheduled the week everything shut down due to COVID-19. Later, when surgeries resumed, complications had set in prohibiting the operation and he was forced to endure a deteriorating bone situation for the rest of his life.

Dickerson, buoyed by the presence of the third generation of the same family of retrievers he had raised, put on a brave face and was noted by seemingly everybody visiting Beach Lane. Even in the end when he was unresponsive, he held on a week longer than expected until his dogs were permitted to visit him in the hospital, prompting a response when they licked his hand, and he passed shortly after that. His yellow Labrador “Z” died unexpectedly two days after Dickerson.

Born on December 29, 1954, in East Hampton, he was the son of Robert F. Dickerson and Miriam Conklin Dickerson Davis. He is survived by his son, Justin Dickerson, and partner of 43 years, Roger Rowlett.

His family has lived in East Hampton since their patriarch Lion Gardiner arrived in the 1600s. He worked in real estate, landscaping, hosting LTV cable TV shows and painting art. He was a frequent letter writer to the East End newspapers. He and his partner were active in the Highpointers Club where they traveled across the country visiting the highest points in each state with their dogs. Dickerson personally visited the high points of 30 states.

Dickerson graduated from East Hampton High School in 1973, where he appeared in numerous school plays and played soccer. He married Joanne Mannes in 1974. They subsequently divorced.

In addition to his son, former wife and partner, he is survived by five sisters: Shelly Engstrom of Montauk, Caroline Dickerson of East Hampton, Lisa Narizzano of Springs, Priscilla Jones of Montauk and Jennifer Davis of Exmore, Virginia. There are numerous nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews.

A memorial service to celebrate Dickerson’s life will be held Saturday, February 17 with visitation at 1 p.m. and celebration service at 2 p.m. at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. The family plot is in Green River Cemetery in Springs

Michael Robert Dickerson, an East Hampton resident who was a descedant of Colonial era settler Lion Gardiner, died January 31 in hospice at Peconic Medical Center in Riverhead. He was 69.

In recent years, surfers at Beach Lane dubbed Dickerson “The Wainscott Walker” because he used a walker device when taking his dogs on the beach in all weather conditions almost every day of the week in every season. He astonished everyone for decades with his ability to come back from seemingly near-death experiences including cancer, stem cell transplant, brain surgeries, strokes and major heart operations. In 2020 a planned hip replacement was scheduled the week everything shut down due to COVID-19. Later, when surgeries resumed, complications had set in prohibiting the operation and he was forced to endure a deteriorating bone situation for the rest of his life.

Dickerson, buoyed by the presence of the third generation of the same family of retrievers he had raised, put on a brave face and was noted by seemingly everybody visiting Beach Lane. Even in the end when he was unresponsive, he held on a week longer than expected until his dogs were permitted to visit him in the hospital, prompting a response when they licked his hand, and he passed shortly after that. His yellow Labrador “Z” passed unexpectedly two days after Dickerson.

Born on December 29, 1954, in East Hampton, he was the son of Robert F. Dickerson and Miriam Conklin Dickerson Davis. He is survived by his son, Justin Dickerson, and partner of 43 years, Roger Rowlett.

His family has lived in East Hampton since their patriarch Lion Gardiner arrived in the 1600s. He worked in real estate, landscaping, hosting LTV cable TV shows and painting art. He was a frequent letter writer to the East End newspapers. He and his partner were active in the Highpointers Club where they traveled across the country visiting the highest points in each state with their dogs. Dickerson personally visited the high points of 30 states.

Dickerson graduated from East Hampton High School in 1973, where he appeared in numerous school plays and played soccer. He married Joanne Mannes in 1974. They subsequently divorced.

In addition to his son, former wife and partner, he is survived by five sisters: Shelly Engstrom of Montauk, Caroline Dickerson of East Hampton, Lisa Narizzano of Springs, Priscilla Jones of Montauk and Jennifer Davis of Exmore, Virginia. There are numerous nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews.

A memorial service to celebrate Dickerson’s life will be held Saturday, February 17 with visitation at 1 p.m. and celebration service at 2 p.m. at Yardley & Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. The family plot is in Green River Cemetery in Springs