Arthur L. Dickinson, Ph.D.
February 5, 1926 – May 3, 2017
Arthur L. Dickinson died May 3, 2017, at Balfour Cherrywood in Louisville, CO. Art was born February 5, 1926, in Cedar Falls, Iowa to Arthur D. Dickinson and Madeline N. Nesbit. His mother taught Dance and his father was an Associate Professor of Physical Education, an athletic trainer and track coach at what is now the University of Northern Iowa. The annual Dickinson Relays at the University of Northern Iowa was named for Art Sr.
Arthur L. Dickinson worked on barges on the Mississippi during his summers from ages 15 to 17 until he enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to a landing ship in the Pacific Theater for the duration of World War II. After the war, Art continued his education, ultimately earning his PhD in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. He met his first love, Frances Neessen, and married her in 1950. They had five children - Linda, Barbara, Sue, Mike and Amy. Fran died of cancer in 1998, and Sue died in 2001. Art taught In the Department of Physical Education at Arizona State University and in what is now the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. While at Boulder, he was selected to join the sports medicine staff working for the US Olympic Nordic ski team in 1976 (the year the United States first medaled in Nordic Skiing). He taught on Semester at Sea shortly thereafter, allowing Fran and his two youngest children to accompany him on the voyage. Art was an early member of the American College of Sports Medicine and was the Founding President of the Rocky Mountain Region of that organization. Art won the prestigious “Teacher of the Year” award in the early 80’s. He founded the Human Performance Lab in 1968, and, in 1979, created a wellness testing and evaluation program for police and firefighters to identify risk factors of lifestyle disease in persons working in highly stressful and physically demanding jobs. Although Art finally retired from running this program at age 84, it is still alive and well and actively functioning as the University of Colorado Wellness Program. In addition, Art worked to develop a program to test the athletic potential of college seniors who tried out for the NFL at their combines. These tests were used by the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
Fran and Art traveled extensively during their time together. After Fran’s death, a mutual friend introduced him to his current wife, Nancy Wood Harrison. They married in the year 2000, and, as they loved traveling, would fly to Europe every year that they could.
Art is survived by his wife, Nancy Dickinson, daughters, Linda Langewisch, Barbara (Rick) Todd, Amy Dickinson, son, Michael Dickinson, step-daughters, Marcella (John) Baldwin and Julia Dorsey. He is survived by his sister, Doris Coady grandchildren, Ben (Erin) Ross and Kelly Ross, step-grandchildren, Meagan and Casey McCormack and Katie and Josh Krueger.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Boulder on May 17 at 10:00 am followed by a reception in the Church hall.
Remembrance donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or to TRU Community Care (Hospice) at TruCare.org.
February 5, 1926 – May 3, 2017
Arthur L. Dickinson died May 3, 2017, at Balfour Cherrywood in Louisville, CO. Art was born February 5, 1926, in Cedar Falls, Iowa to Arthur D. Dickinson and Madeline N. Nesbit. His mother taught Dance and his father was an Associate Professor of Physical Education, an athletic trainer and track coach at what is now the University of Northern Iowa. The annual Dickinson Relays at the University of Northern Iowa was named for Art Sr.
Arthur L. Dickinson worked on barges on the Mississippi during his summers from ages 15 to 17 until he enlisted in the Navy. He was assigned to a landing ship in the Pacific Theater for the duration of World War II. After the war, Art continued his education, ultimately earning his PhD in Kinesiology and Applied Physiology. He met his first love, Frances Neessen, and married her in 1950. They had five children - Linda, Barbara, Sue, Mike and Amy. Fran died of cancer in 1998, and Sue died in 2001. Art taught In the Department of Physical Education at Arizona State University and in what is now the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. While at Boulder, he was selected to join the sports medicine staff working for the US Olympic Nordic ski team in 1976 (the year the United States first medaled in Nordic Skiing). He taught on Semester at Sea shortly thereafter, allowing Fran and his two youngest children to accompany him on the voyage. Art was an early member of the American College of Sports Medicine and was the Founding President of the Rocky Mountain Region of that organization. Art won the prestigious “Teacher of the Year” award in the early 80’s. He founded the Human Performance Lab in 1968, and, in 1979, created a wellness testing and evaluation program for police and firefighters to identify risk factors of lifestyle disease in persons working in highly stressful and physically demanding jobs. Although Art finally retired from running this program at age 84, it is still alive and well and actively functioning as the University of Colorado Wellness Program. In addition, Art worked to develop a program to test the athletic potential of college seniors who tried out for the NFL at their combines. These tests were used by the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
Fran and Art traveled extensively during their time together. After Fran’s death, a mutual friend introduced him to his current wife, Nancy Wood Harrison. They married in the year 2000, and, as they loved traveling, would fly to Europe every year that they could.
Art is survived by his wife, Nancy Dickinson, daughters, Linda Langewisch, Barbara (Rick) Todd, Amy Dickinson, son, Michael Dickinson, step-daughters, Marcella (John) Baldwin and Julia Dorsey. He is survived by his sister, Doris Coady grandchildren, Ben (Erin) Ross and Kelly Ross, step-grandchildren, Meagan and Casey McCormack and Katie and Josh Krueger.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Boulder on May 17 at 10:00 am followed by a reception in the Church hall.
Remembrance donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or to TRU Community Care (Hospice) at TruCare.org.
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