Patricia May Dickinson

On the morning of January 7, 2026, Montrose lost an amazing community advocate and remarkable woman when Patricia Dickinson died peacefully at her home at the age of 89.

Tricia was born on September 4, 1936, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to May (Babcock) and Jack Whittaker. Her childhood was spent in a small British Columbia lumber mill town with three older brothers.

Tricia earned a nursing degree in Vancouver where she met and married Dr. Ted Dickinson in 1958. They were married for 53 years. They began their family and Ted’s surgical practice in Denver and later moved to Montrose in 1971 where they flourished. Realizing they could build the kind of community they wanted to live in, they generously contributed their time and energy to important projects and encouraged others to be civically engaged.

Tricia was incredibly involved in her community. Her political career began as a community member of the City Sign Commission. She found she loved the intricacies of local government. She was elected to the Montrose City Council, served as mayor three times, and represented Montrose in Colorado’s Municipal League for several years. Tricia’s exuberance and savvy made her a life-long community influencer and doer.

Tricia adored music and theatre. Her energy and enthusiasm played a major role in the resurgence and growth of the Magic Circle Players. She acted, directed, supported and served on the Board of Directors. Her passion for community theater and her belief in the actors and herself had her directing crowd favorites and challenging pieces alike. She was a force and that made her a great director.

Tricia was also a compassionate nurse and enjoyed interacting with patients and their families. She served as Montrose County’s Public Health Nurse for many years until starting a private home health care business with partner, Carolyn Goller. They later sold the business to Montrose Memorial Hospital. She also worked for Community Options and was a beloved advocate for its clients.

Tricia had a dynamic personality and used her charm and tenacity to raise funds and build support for positive community actions such as All America City designation, creation of the recycling center, approval to build The Pavilion, construction of the Magic Circle Players theater, Ute Museum renovation, etc. She was on the board of directors of numerous local organizations including Montrose Memorial Hospital, Valley Symphony, Montrose Arts Council, Magic Circle Players, Colorado Mesa University’s Montrose Campus, Colorado Council on the Arts and much more.

Tricia was preceded in death by her husband, her mother and father, and her three brothers. She is survived by her daughters Heather Dickinson Exby of New Castle, Jennie Tidwell (Don) of Montrose, and Karen Dickinson Waldon of Montrose, and grandchildren Patrick Tidwell, Liz Tidwell (Tyler Brandt), Anna Exby, Ian Exby, Jennie Waldon, and Eleanor Waldon, as well as nieces and nephews in the US and Canada.

A celebration of Tricia’s life will take place on Saturday, January 24, 1:00 PM at the Magic Circle Theatre, 420 S. 12th Street, Montrose. Light reception to follow. Giving your time and talents to activities that positively impact your community, as well as contributing to any of the organizations that she supported, would be an excellent way to honor her legacy.