Jamie Fae Dicus passed away on June 19, 2017 at Oro Valley Hospital in Oro Valley, Arizona.
Jamie was born on Jan. 21, 1939 to James A. and Violet C. Gardner in Tucson, Arizona. This family etched their names in the history of the San Pedro Valley. Jamie had fond memories of living at the Aravaipa Canyon as well as Tiger, Arizona. The Gardner family was one of the first families to help establish San Manuel in 1955.
Jamie was a member of the first graduating class of San Manuel High School graduating with honors. Shortly after graduation, Jamie married the love of her life, John Dicus.
They began their family right away with the birth of their first daughter, Debbie Lynn. A year and a half later, their second daughter, Linda Jean was born which completed this part of the family.
Jamie was an active leader in many things that had to do with encouraging children to reach their full potential. She was homeroom mother for both of their daughter’s classes, PTO president, and Girl Scout Leader, and a Saguaro Girl Scout Association Council person.
As their daughters got older, Jamie worked in the San Manuel community. She was employed within the school system, the Ford Dealership and Valley National Bank which later became Chase Bank. She took great pride in her work and truly loved the public interaction that her job experiences provided her.
Jamie was very creative and expressed this creativity through cake decorating and painting. Her cakes and baked goods brought many ooohs and ahhhs. Jamie’s favorite artist was Ted DeGrazia. She was able to meet Mr. Degrazia who upon seeing her rendition of “Los Ninos” expressed his admiration of her work.
Jamie was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, James Wray Gardner.
Jamie is survived by her loving husband John, daughter Debbie Foisset (David), daughter Linda Hart (Bob), sister-in-law Barbara Gardner (Jim), niece, Deneen Garcia (Lin), nephews, Bobby Gardner, (Deisree), James Gardner (Mary), and Bobby and James adult children who fondly called Jamie, “Aunt Jamie”, Casey Dwyer (Jen), Laura Dwyer, Dustin Gardner, Christopher Gardner, Nathan Haro, Ariana VanWegenon (Tyler) and Brandon Gardner.
A celebration of Jamie’s life will take place on Wednesday, June 28, at 10 a.m. at the San Manuel High School Auditorium. In lieu of flowers, donations to the MSM School Foundation Fund in Jamie’s name would be appreciated.