[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E809]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN HONOR OF ROBERT D. DICKENS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ASA HUTCHINSON

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2001

  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with the sad task of 
informing the House of the passing of Dr. Dick Dickens, Jr. of Little 
Rock. Dick was a neurosurgeon in private practice who was adored by his 
patients. They were deeply touched by his warmth as a human being, and 
by his dedication as a surgeon. Everyone knew that if they were being 
treated by Dick, they were in the skillful hands of a highly trained 
and committed surgeon.
  Dick came from a family of doctors; his father and grandfather were 
doctors. Recently, Dick decided to use his background and skills to be 
an active participant in the effort to ensure that outstanding 
healthcare is available to all. He began working as an Associate 
Medical Director at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Little Rock 
because he wanted to be well-versed in all facets of the practice of 
medicine, including the administrative side.
  Dick was also deeply interested in the complex ethical issues which 
confront physicians and hospitals today. He received a Certificate of 
Achievement from the University of Virginia Center for Biomedical 
Ethics after studying these issues in depth.
  Dick was a man with great zest for life. He lived his personal life 
with the same gusto and dedication which he applied to his professional 
life. He had a tremendous thirst for knowledge which evidenced itself 
in many ways. He was an accomplished runner who participated in several 
marathons, was a connoisseur of fine wines and Italian cooking, and had 
a true love for music of all types.
  More important than Dick's extremely successful professional and 
personal accomplishments was the fact that he was a man who knew the 
value of people. He loved and was loved. He would often say that the 
true value of a man was not the things that had been done in life, but 
the people loved. It can be said of Dick by those who knew him well 
that they were granted a great privilege to be his friend, and as one 
friend said ``I am a better man today because I had the opportunity to 
know Dick Dickens.''
  The world is a better place today because Dick Dickens lived, and a 
little sadder because he has passed away. I join my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives in sending our deepest sympathy to the Dickens 
family, and especially, Dick's wife Nancy and his children, Rob and 
Margaret Avery.

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