Ralph Linel Dickerson, of Virginia Beach, VA passed away Saturday, August 8, 2009 at Virginia Beach General Hospital. Ralph Lionel Dickerson was born in Washington, DC to the late Alice Dickerson Milburn and Randolph Dickerson

After graduating from High School in 1965, Ralph attended Hampton Institute (University) where he met and married his wife of 41years Sonja Martin. Ralph began his Navy career of twenty years after leaving Hampton He retired from the Navy in 1988, and spent the next 19 years as a Civil Service employee.

Ralph is survived by his wife Sonja Martin Dickerson, sons Ralph Dickerson Jr. ( Diana) of Frankfort, Germany , Dexter Dickerson of Virginia Beach, and Donavan Dickerson ( Kiatsuda) of San Diego, CA. four grandchildren Jordin, Sierra, Micah, and Sadie, five brothers Lafayette Dickerson, William Edwards, Jr. Benjamin Milburn, Bersty, and Junior Milburn, and four sisters Jacqueline Jefferies, Consuella Jenkins, Deborah Milburn, Alfreda Thomas, one aunt, Grace Ella Graves, and one uncle James Pompey Scott, Jr. three sisters –in laws Millicent Nash, Lenora Ingram of Lynchburg, VA Corrine Kinebrew of Cinn. OH one brother –in- law Henri Martin of New Orleans, LA., devoted cousins Clarence and Thelma Wheeler of Lynchburg, VA., and a host of other relatives and friends.

A funeral service will be held 12 noon, August 12, 2009 at New Hope Baptist Church with Rev. Ricky Ferguson officiating and Rev. Allen Loving as Eulogist. The interment will be in the Martin Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service. Expressions of condolences may be sent to www.Davis-Turner.com. Service of comfort rendered by Davis-Turner Funeral Service.