Esther Susan (Billings) Dickson

Esther Susan Dickson (nee Billings) died at home on her beloved farm on August 13, 2022 at the age of 94.

Esther is survived by her daughter E. Susan Finlaw. She was the precious Mom-mom to Becky (Richard Watson – Greenwood, DE), Deb (Phil Pizzimenti – Fort Pierce, FL), and Chuck Finlaw (Denise DeWitt – fiancé – Salem, NJ). Her great-grandchildren were her pride and joy including Preston A. Lawrence (Becky), Judson A. Watson (Becky) and Dominic Sonny Pizzimenti (Deb). 

Born on January 28, 1928 in Greenwich, New Jersey during a blizzard, her mother was attended to by a physician who arrived at the home in his horse and sleigh. Esther grew up in Salem County and cherished Salem, New Jersey during its heyday back when. She began work at the age of 16 at Anchor Hocking in Salem and also worked as an usher at the Palace Theater. It wasn't until she moved to her beloved “Bill Dick Farms” on the Hancock’s Bridge Road in Lower Alloway’s  Creek Township in 1949 that she truly was “home”. While living and working on her farm for the remainder of her life, she truly became a farm woman. From its early days as a dairy farm, to the farm’s crop raising years, and finally into her “retirement”, there were always chores and tasks to keep her property one of the most beautiful in the area.

When Esther wasn’t tending to her home and family, she was enjoying music by her favorite artist – Frank Sinatra. Musically inclined, Esther always mentioned being a dancer if her plans hadn’t held the farm in her future. She was an outstanding baker and dessert maker with her sugar cookies and rice pudding noted as some of the best around. Her home was made in the early American period with details and thought kept to retaining its circa 1790 construction. Esther loved meeting her first grandchild in 1968 but disliked her one and only air flight necessary to get there. She enjoyed taking the train to Florida, visiting her best friend Evelyn “Pickle” (Ruch) Foll and road trips with her sisters to visit their brother Everett in Michigan, but always ended up homesick for her farm. Her farm was where her vision of heaven on earth could be found. Trees were planted along the lane when her daughter Susie was only 7 years old. These trees provide shade and quiet from the road today. Several flowering plants, bushes and shrubs including her favorite iris bloom throughout the year. Ponds containing all manner of aquatic South Jersey species including turtles, herons, frogs, lily pads and more are in front and back. In fact, when she was young her husband, dug a pond in the front of the property to keep the bathing beauty Esther at home and off the Oakwood and Elsinboro beaches! Throughout her 73 years on the farm, it’s estimated she spent just shy of 10,000 hours on her brand new John Deere or antique Farmall lawn tractors. She knew every square inch and put her blood, sweat, joy, and tears into her beloved land. 

Esther was preceded in death by her parents Everett Billings and Esther Murphy as well as brothers Thomas, Richard, and Everett and sister Alice Parks. She is survived by sister Patricia Bierbrunner and brother David Billings (Eileen – Bridgeton, NJ) as well as  sister Linda Richardson (John - Roadstown, NJ) and brother Ralph Murphy (Reno, NV). She had great affection for her many nieces and nephews including Graceanne, Lee, Wayne, Linda Jean, Donna, Faye, Buddy, Eddie,
Beverly, Bonnie, Barry, Betty Lou, Helen, William, Marsha, Gail, Frankie, Denise, Tommy Jr, Tina,
David, Amanda, Anthony, Erica, Scott and Christine.

Esther was buried in a private ceremony at the Salem Baptist Cemetery in Salem, New Jersey on August 16. In lieu of flowers, her family requests  donations be made to helping young people realize their farming dreams.

Please send your tax-deductible donation in Esther’s memory to the Future Farmers of America, Salem County Chapter (NJA0016 - Salem County FFA Alumni) 880 Route 45, c/o Salem Career and Tech HS Agriculture Department, Pilesgrove, NJ 08098-2804) or by visiting www. https://ffa.givenow.stratuslive.com/ffadonate.
 

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