GREENVILLE - Phillip Graham Dickerson, known to friends as "Phil," passed away Thursday, May 21, 2020 at his home in Greenville. Phil will be lovingly remembered by his son Phil, Jr. (and wife Jennifer Snyder) of Raleigh, NC, Chad (and wife Nancy Dickerson) of Brooklyn, NY, honorary daughter Mirlinda Qosja of Greenville, NC, and loving companion Denee Holloman.

Phil is survived by his sister Merle Fergerson of Durham, NC and brother Ivan Dickerson of Rocky Mount, NC, along with seven grandchildren: Jacquelyn Dickerson, Ashley Dickerson, Silas Huckins, Matt Dickerson, Vincent Huckins, Kangsan Dickerson, and Kayla Herndon. Phil is also survived by Sonia Pearce Dickerson, the mother of his children. Phil was preceded in death by his brothers Roger, Harold, Fred, Ashley (known as Buddy), and Maurice Dickerson.

In careful consideration of the ongoing pandemic, the family has decided to hold a small service at Smith Funeral Service & Crematory at a later date, after which his ashes will be scattered. Family, friends, and co-workers are considering a larger public memorial service, also at a safe time in the future.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Phillip G. Dickerson Sr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment. Checks should be written to the NC State Engineering Foundation and can be mailed to: NC State Engineering Foundation, Campus Box 7901, Raleigh, NC 27695, Attn: Lindsay Smith. Or contribute online by visiting go.ncsu.edu/engineering-giving and clicking "Choose a fund," selecting "other," and writing in Phillip G. Dickerson Sr. Memorial Scholarship Endowment. All gifts are considered tax-deductible.

Phil graduated from North Carolina State University in 1968 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and remained a proud Wolfpack fan throughout his life. For more than 30 years, he served the people of Pitt County as County Engineer and Deputy County Manager for Pitt County Government. He spent an adventurous year working as an engineer in Saudi Arabia in 1983-84. He also ran his own private engineering and land surveying business in Greenville for many years.

In 2018, his sons made a gift to the Pitt County Educational Foundation to fund the basketball and pickleball courts in the Alice F. Keene District Park and named them the "Phillip G. Dickerson, Sr. Courts" after their dear father as lasting recognition of his many contributions to the people of Pitt County.

Phil was a man of faith who was deeply committed to the church throughout his life. He attended Arlington Boulevard Baptist Church for many years (where he also served as a deacon and was, briefly, a church softball league all-star) before attending Arthur Christian Church in Bell Arthur in recent years.

Phil's family and friends will deeply miss his gentlemanly nature, his love for children, and his kindness to all he met.

Arrangements by Smith Funeral Service & Crematory. Online condolences may be expressed at www.smithfcs.com.

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