William R. Dickson, 76, of Reed Street in Oil City, died Saturday at his home after a short illness.

Born June 16, 1928, at his grandparents' boarding house at 200 Main St., Oil City, he was the son of Marian Groves Dickson and the late Sigbert W. Dickson.

He was a 1946 graduate of Franklin High School and he enlisted in the Army and served in Occupied Japan as a radio operator after World War II.

In 1951, he graduated from Indiana (Pa.) State Teachers' College, where he had been captain of the golf team and a proud member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, which he still supported.

Mr. Dickson had been an accountant at May & Co. in Oil City. Then in 1955, he opened Olmes & Dickson, Certified Public Accountants, in Oil City with his partner, Edward Olmes. They later opened an additional office in Titusville.

He just completed his 53rd year as a CPA; and during his tenure, as a CPA, he served on numerous boards of directors; and his wise, honest and loyal counsel was appreciated by many. He was a trusted accountant and financial advisor to many prominent individuals and businesses in the Oil City and surrounding area. He was a career-long member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

He was a longtime member of the Christ Episcopal Church of Oil City, and was a past senior warden of the church. He was a past president of the Wanango Country Club and was a champion golfer in the area in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Since 1965, he was a member of the New Bethlehem Rod & Gun Club.

He ran the timing system at Saturday YMCA swim meets and served as chairman of the YMCA Thanksgiving swim meet for several years during the 1970s. He particularly enjoyed fishing and boating, especially on vacations with his wife, children and grandchildren in Canada.

Surviving are his wife, Shirley Hildebrand Dickson, whom he married April 19, 1953; his mother of Franklin; a daughter, Mary D. Waggoner and her husband, Michael, of Butler, and two sons, William R. Dickson and his wife, Jennifer, of Ben Avon Heights and Samuel R. Dickson and his wife, Kimberly, of Hydetown, Crawford County. He also is survived by three grandchildren, Kelly and Samuel Dickson of Ben Avon Heights and Ruby Waggoner of Butler; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his only sibling, Robert A. Dickson of Exton.

DICKSON - Friends of William R. Dickson, who died Saturday, May 28, 2005, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday atMORRISON FUNERAL HOME, 110 Petroleum St., Oil City. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Christ Episcopal Church, 16 Central Ave, Oil City, with the Rev. Alan Cordite, rector, officiating; and the Rev. Charl Kapp, deacon, assisting.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Oil City Library, 2 Central Ave., Oil City, PA 16301; or to the charity of the donor's choice.