Wanda Joe Dickens, age 86, passed away peacefully on Nov. 19, 2025. Born on April 10, 1939, to Aron Horace Knobles and Annis Oliver Knobles, Wanda lived a full and remarkable life rooted in family, faith, hard work, and a deep love of the outdoors. For 58 years, Wanda made her home in Dayton, Texas.
She was a devoted member of First Assembly of God in Dayton, where she found community, strength, and lifelong spiritual guidance. Known for her vibrant spirit and her enduring love of horses, Wanda was a proud member of the Dayton Leather Poppers in the 1970’s. Her talent and dedication carried her all the way to the Houston Astrodome, where she performed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo-an experience she treasured for the rest of her life.
A gifted horticulturist and proud business owner, Wanda operated Joe’s Green Thumb Nursery for many years, serving the Dayton community with her deep knowledge of plants and her natural talent for growing beauty. She also provided landscaping services for numerous local businesses, leaving a lasting mark on the town she loved.
Wanda is preceded in death by her beloved husband, George Dickens; her sister, Jerry Ann Calma; her children, Billy Darrell Dinsmore and Delbert Aron Dinsmore; and her grandchildren, Billy Joe Dinsmore and Paige Balinski. Through every trial and season of loss, Wanda remained a steadfast example of faith, resilience, and unconditional love.
She is survived by her son, Joe Westley Dinsmore, and his wife, Jan Dinsmore. Wanda was a devoted grandmother to Erica Jo Dinsmore, Melissa Balinski, Lacy Dinsmore Glover, Brandie Dinsmore Thompson and her husband Dirk Thompson, Brandon Dinsmore and his wife Rachel Dinsmore, Aron Dinsmore, Daniel Dinsmore, LeAnn Dinsmore.
She also leaves behind her treasured great-grandchildren: Bryce Dinsmore, Westley Dinsmore, Clayton Nunez, Bently Balinski, Colt Dinsmore, Adalyn Dinsmore, and Brielyn Thompson-each one a cherished light in her life. Wanda will be remembered for her warm heart, strong will, deep faith, entrepreneurial spirit, and the love she poured into her family and her community. Her legacy endures in the generations she nurtured and the many lives she touched. Her memory will forever be a blessing to all who knew and loved her.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, from 1–3 p.m., at Pace Stancil Funeral Home in Dayton, Texas. Funeral services will follow at 3:00 PM at Pace Stancil Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Palms Memorial Park Cemetery in Dayton.