Mr. Norbert J. Dickman
Deceased: 2020-03-11
Diocese: SAN FRANCISCO
Seminary Graduation Year: 1968
Norbert Joseph Dickman passed away of Leukemia on March 11, 2020, surrounded by family. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 2, 1943, the son of Norbert H. and Helen Dickman. There, he attended parochial school until relocating with his family to California. He received a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, California and a Licentiate in Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy located near the Vatican in June 1968 and was ordained a Catholic priest. After leaving the priesthood, he received his Juris Doctorate from Hastings College of the Law and his LLM from Golden Gate University.
After working with the San Francisco law firm of Sullivan, Roche & Johnson and then as a partner of Mullins, Wise & Dickman, he became a solo general practitioner to the service of Mrs. Barbara Fasken in Marin County, California. Over time, Norbert assisted Mrs. Fasken in assembling her various business interests into more efficient and integrated businesses which were then placed into one family limited partnership. In order to oversee the newly consolidated Fasken interests, Norbert relocated to Midland, Texas in 1988. In 1995, upon Mrs. Fasken’s passing, Norbert became co-executor and co-trustee of her estate and trust, co-manager of Fasken, Ltd. and general manager of Fasken Oil and Ranch, Ltd., the operating entity for the family business.
In 1994, Norbert negotiated the purchase of the historic La Posada Hotel in Laredo, Texas which rose to become a Four-Diamond, full-service hotel. He called Laredo his second home, and his love for the border town was mutual as Laredo bestowed many honors on him including Mr. South Texas and the Future of Texas award, among others.
He was active on many local non-profit boards, including Samaritan Counseling Center, the Executive Council of the Boy Scouts, UTPB Advisory Board, Permian Basin Area Foundation, Trinity School, Casa de Amigos, and was recently President of the Endowment Board. He was the director of the Fasken Family charitable foundation, The Prairie Foundation, and was involved in teaching religious education at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Midland, Texas.
Norbert is survived by his wife, Dedria Dickman; his three children, Michael Dickman, Matthew Dickman and Jennifer Portz; their spouses, Brienne Dickman, Erica Goudy and Kip Portz; his stepson, Spencer Gilbert; his seven grandchildren ages 4-7, Logan, Ford, Reagan, Grace, Sloan, Kalan and Milly; his two sisters, Sue Horne and Kathy Barry and their families; and many beloved friends and family.
The family is holding a viewing and rosary at Ellis Funeral home on Monday, March 16, 2020 at 6pm and a Mass to celebrate Norbert’s life on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
