Paul McAuley Dickens, age 78, of Allen, Texas, passed away December 15, 2009. He was born on January 13, 1931 in Sanford, North Carolina, to Paul James and Elizabeth (McAuley) Dickens. He married his wife, Valda (Brewer) Dickens, on April 19, 1986 in Hawaii. He proudly served his country for thirty years in the United States Air Force; first as an enlisted man during which he worked his way through college and then on receiving his officer’s commission, as a fighter pilot. His tours of duty included hundreds hours of combat flying in Vietnam in F4 Phantoms as well as several years piloting F-100 Super Sabres in Europe. Mr Dickens retired from active duty as a Major in February of 1978. He was a highly decorated officer with many honors, among them: the Meritorious Service Medal, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross, four Air Medals, as well as the Vietnamese Cross of Valor. Very unusual for a fighter pilot, he earned both his Command Pilot’s wings as well as his Army Parachutist badge. Mr. Dickens earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry Degree from the University of North Carolina and his Masters in Psychology from Ball State University. Mr. Dickens is survived by his wife, Valda Dickens; his children Teresa Lindsay and her husband Robbie, of West Point, Virginia; sons Mark Dickens of Washington, D.C., Ronnie Dickens of Connecticut, and Larry Dickens of Newport News, Virginia; grandchildren, Christopher Lindsay, Sean Lindsay, Tracy Lindsay, Patricia Dickens, Jennifer Dickens, Chelsea Dickens, Devon Dickens, and Courtney Dickens; and great-grandson, Tyler Dickens; his brother Gene Dickens of Sanford, North Carolina; and mother, Elizabeth Anne Dickens. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul James Dickens, as well as his brothers, Robert and Michael Dickens. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Directors.