Gary Addison Dicus

Our sweet and kind, husband, dad, brother passed away fighting but peaceful in the early morning hours on Thursday, August 20, 2015. His family is overwhelmed with grief. Gary was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer on November 20, 2014. He wanted so much to get well enough to be one of the first to enter a clinical trial at Robert Preston Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke Hospital in Durham, NC. He traveled there many times with his family for visits just to be told in June 2015 his tumor had shrunk and swelling was reduced. This horrific disease began to regrow in early August 2015. Gary loved his family with all his heart and soul. He couldn’t wait for the weekend so he could have all his family over to grill out, swim, go boating, fish, watch the games or to just talk & laugh. Talking & storytelling were just a few of his attributes. His stories were many & we know he has a captive audience in heaven above. Gary started his carpet & rug business at a very young age in a small warehouse in 1982, off Westshore Blvd. in Tampa, Fl. He then moved to Drew Park before Tampa International Airport bought the land. In 1996, he started a design district, on Willow Ave. He converted a 1920’s Bldg. into what has become Decorative Arts Center of Florida, which houses design businesses including his, Addison/Dicus Co., which specializes in high end rugs, carpets & wood. The company grew & expanded to Orlando, Fl. He traveled to India & Nepal in search of rugs many times over the years, just as recently as Oct. 2014. Gary knew the story about how each rug was woven, dyed & hung to dry. He was born in Columbus, Ga. May 20, 1950. His family moved to Tampa when he was six yrs. old. He went to Manhattan Elem., Madison Jr. High, & graduated from HB Plant High School in 1968. He continued his education & graduated from Mercer Univ. in 1972. After traveling to Colorado & installing carpet he started his rug career in Atlanta, Ga. There, he worked for Vol T. Blacknoll Co., where he developed his talent & curiosity about the industry and moved back to Tampa. He met Debbie, his wife, while calling on customers & the sparks quickly began. It was at their first dinner date in 1976, at the Valencia Gardens, that they were a couple. Gary and Debbie married in 1978, and lived a life full of traveling, raising their children, buying and restoring homes and enjoying their mountain home in North Carolina. He was proud to be a DaddyO to his two granddaughters. Gary took full pleasure in golfing with his friends. He was known to be a true southern gentleman. Gary was predeceased by Aubrey Dicus, Sr. He is survived by his mother Jimmie, his sister Carol Dicus Burt, & brother Aubrey Dicus, Jr. He is also survived by his loving wife, Debbie Lord Dicus, & children, Allison Dicus Thompson (Nathan), & grandbabies, Emerson & Addison, his son, Drew Addison Dicus, & daughter Hillary Nicole Dicus (Ben Suarez) & many nieces and nephews. We would like to thank all who were such good friends to our husband & father, and especially those who pitched in to make his life so much happier these last nine months. Gary would always call in the afternoon & say to Debbie, “What’s the plan”? He would end the call with, “see you in a bit”. We’ll see you in a little bit Gary. Your family will keep you in our hearts forever. Donations can be made in Gary’s memory to Hyde Park United Methodist Church, Tampa, Fl. Services to be held at Hyde Park United Methodist Church at 3:30 P.M., Friday, August 28, 2015. Arrangements handled by Blount and Curry Funeral Home, 605 South MacDill Ave., Tampa, FL.