In Memoriam of Allison Dickson
“Don’t need easy. Just need possible.”
That simple phrase was the motto of Allison Dickson, one she lived and breathed in her 44 years.
Central Texas is mourning the loss of “Temple’s Sweetheart,” the beloved philanthropist and lawyer who devoted her life to making the world a better place through her selfless acts of service and benevolence.
Allison held a special place in her heart for Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center. Among her many contributions, she poured all her efforts into donations of stuffed animals for children in the hospital every year for Christmas. More recently, she helped raise the funds for a mural at the Healing Garden. When the hospital contacted her, Dickson told Tex Appeal in July that she worried she wouldn’t be able to raise the money needed for the project, but she was going to try her best.
“I’m always about dreaming big — let’s dream big — and this was definitely our biggest dream yet. Lori (Luppino, president of the Baylor Scott & White Foundation) said there was a blank wall leading to the Healing Garden and she wanted a mural but didn’t have the money. She asked if I wanted to raise money for the mural,” Dickson said at the time.
“I said, ‘I love it! I think that would brighten the whole atmosphere, not just for the kids, but for their families, for the staff, anyone who would use the Healing Garden for a moment of peace.’”
Although she was worried she wouldn’t be able to raise $15,000, her supporters came out in droves, donating more than $24,000 to the project — enough to have funds on stand-by for touch-ups for years to come.
“Our hearts are saddened by the passing of Allison Dickson,” Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center told Tex Appeal. “Her many accomplishments and determination to live her life to the fullest were an inspiration to the entire Central Texas community, showing us that we all ‘just need possible.’ Her generosity and passion for serving Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Hospital and our patients has left an impact that will never be forgotten. Her legacy will live on each time someone seeks solace in the Healing Garden and turns their gaze to the mural she made possible. Her devotion to our patients and our community is forever appreciated. We send our thoughts and prayers to her family and community.”
In Allison’s memory, McLane Children’s would like to fulfill her last wish, which was to create a mural in the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Unit. Donations can be made using the QR code or clicking here.
While her impact was felt throughout Central Texas, she was also adored throughout the state and she served as a personal injury lawyer for Patterson Law Group in Fort Worth.
“Having Allison as an attorney at Patterson Law Group meant the absolute world to us,” W. Travis Patterson, managing partner with Patterson Law Group, said. “She had such a brilliant mind and a huge heart. She had a huge impact on all of us. We are going to miss her greatly, but we all know without a doubt that she is a much greater place right now. And we are going to continue to support all of her wonderful causes.”
Of course, everyone who knew Allison knew she loved her Temple Wildcats. She was touched that the team thought so highly of her and she was proud to call herself an honorary coach.
“For Temple ISD, Allison represented the true Wildcat Spirit — the perfect combination of thoughtfulness and perseverance rolled into one,” Bobby Ott, Temple ISD superintendent, said. “To me personally, she was a dear friend, confidant, and leader — by example and selflessly. I always felt good around her — she was like a little piece of Heaven, here on earth.”
As a child, Allison was diagnosed with Werdnig-Hoffman Muscular Dystrophy and doctors told her parents she would not live to the age of three. Her life was definitely not an easy one, but her Wildcat spirit was strong, even as a child, proving that she didn’t need easy, just possible.
