March 21, 1937 - November 19, 2020
Anthony John Dickens was born on March 21, 1937 in Nottingham, England. He immigrated to Canada in 1948 with his parents after WW2.
After graduating from high school in Saanich, Tony went on to attend UBC to become an industrial education teacher and spent one year of student teaching on Texada Island.
Tony also attended Briercrest Bible College where he met his beloved wife Rose. The couple were married on June 1, 1963 and, after Tony's graduation in 1964, promptly moved to Kenya, where they served as missionaries with Africa Inland Mission for 33 years.
During that time, Tony served as a dorm parent at Rift Valley Academy, as well as a graphic arts teacher, industrial arts teacher, preacher, and principal of a Kenyan boys boarding school.
Tony was committed to serving the people of Kenya with everything he had, and went on to build an elementary school in Eldoret while heading up ministry to street kids that lived there.
His passion for serving the Lord and other people did not wane upon his return home to Canada. Tony faithfully led a woodworking club and Bible study at Senior Village and Deni House, was a recurring speaker at Lake of the Trees Bible Camp, and served weekly at the Salvation Army soup kitchen.
When he wasn't enjoying a warm cup of tea and an episode of Judge Judy, Tony was always found covered in sawdust in his wood shop. His greatest joy was to spend hours building all kinds of furniture and home decoration for the community of Williams Lake.
Grieving his passing are his sister Ann, Rose, his wife of 57 years, his children Allan, Steve, Mike and Sharon, their spouses respectively, Leah, Bobbie, Alicia, Mike, and his 13 grandchildren.