Larry Dickson

Larry “Duke” Dickson, age 87, a lifelong resident of LaPorte, Indiana passed away on Tuesday, February 24, 2025.

One of thirteen siblings: Duke was born on April 18, 1938 to the late Charles and Valda (nee Honold) Dickson. He attended Stillwell School and was active in several school sports. Duke enjoyed playing baseball and basketball and even ran cross country. On October 11, 1959, Duke married the love of his life, Betty Jean (nee Churchill), at Salem Chapel. Duke and Betty raised their three sons in a home that Duke was continually building and adding onto. Together they spent 66 years with a legacy of dedication, mischief, and love left to treasure.

Duke’s passion was to work with anything that had a motor. His first job at Slacks Garage led to a career at the Ford Garage for 23 years. Duke had his eye on opening his own business and when opportunity arose, he purchased the property on Stillwell. Along with his coworker from the Ford Garage, Dan Evans, Duke opened D&D Auto Body which serviced LaPorte for over 20 years. Duke even dabbled in motorcycle riding, minibikes, snowmobiles, and his own kid’s pedal cars.

Throughout his life, Duke was always tinkering, trading, and cruising in many classic cars. He could often be seen drag racing with his 1962 Ford Galaxie 500 affectionately called “Old Blue”. After Old Blue, Duke was known to repaint his other vehicles to a maroon color, which his wife Betty was fond of. Duke passed his love of cars onto his children. His son, Terry, has carried on this tradition by maintaining Duke’s 1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra Jet.

After meeting Betty, Duke took up bowling and they were well-known at Thunderbird Lanes, the Civic, anywhere in LaPorte with lanes- even in Florida! Duke only stopped bowling within the last seven years but his enthusiasm for the sport never waned. Duke was also a supporter of the Chicago Bears, the Cubs, Indiana Basketball, and Notre Dame football.

Duke will be remembered not only as a motorhead, a bowling fanatic, and dedicated business owner, but as a loving grandfather. Duke adored his grandchildren and could be found wrestling and riling them up! He was often caught by Betty getting into trouble right alongside his grandkids. Duke was a wise-cracker and a kid at heart with a mischievous streak who always found a way to poke fun with others. To him- nothing was serious! Duke knew no strangers and was always willing to start conversation with anyone. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Duke is by his children: Don, Brent (Kerry), and Terry; bonus daughter: Judy (Brian) Spicher; grandchildren: Jamie (Chuck) Maller, Jason Dickson, and Ashley (Eric) Burch; step-grandchildren, Chris (Danielle) Grillo, Chuckie Leuth, and Austin Hefner; Bonus grandchildren, Natasha, Vinny, Matthew, and Malachi; great-grandchildren: Bre’anna Maller, Izzabella Maller, and Levi McCallum; step great-grandchildren: Kayden Grillo, Koltyn Grillo, Kolby Grillo, Karsyn Grillo, Cyric Hefner, and Vinny Hefner; great-great-grandchild, Ariya LaTour; and sister: Natoma.

Duke was preceded in death by his wife: Betty; parents; siblings: Ardell “Bud”, Emery, Willowbelle, Allen, “Sally” Marvel, Jane, Ken, Jacquelyn, Beverly, Charmaine and Meredith; and daughter-in-law: Dawn.

Family and friends may gather at Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services (602 Maple Ave., LaPorte) on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 5:00-7:00 P.M. Cremation is entrusted to Haverstock Funeral Home and Cremation Services.