Raymond E. Dickerson, whose 4-foot, 1 inch stature made him a big name among clowns at the Shrine Circus, died Sunday (May 2, 1993) of cancer at Alexian Brothers Lansdowne Center, a nursing home at 4614 Lansdowne Avenue. He was 80.
Mr. Dickerson, a dwarf, got into clowning in the late 1960's, using the name Doe-Doe the Clown. His trademark white-face makeup, a red-and-yellow satin outfit, a bow tie, a derby - and a yellow miniscooter.
For 20 years, Mr. Dickerson hawked Shrine Circus tickets outside the National supermarket at Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street. "Whenever the Shriners needed a clown, for a parade or at the Shriners Hospital, he was there," said Betty Howard of St. Louis, the wife of Mr. Dickerson's nephew, Bill Howard.
When asked if Mr. Dickerson had a specific routine, she said, "He didn't have an act - he was the act." She said Mr. Dickerson had especially delighted children because his size was their size.
Mr. Dickerson was born in Greenville, southeastern Missouri, the only drawf in a family of 15 children. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette Dickerson.
He moved to St. Louis in the Korean War period and went to work as an assembly-line worker at McDonnell Douglas. Mr. Dickerson's small stature enabled him to perform intricate work inside the cramped noses of fighter planes. Special controls let him get about the wheel of his car.
Mr. Dickerson was active in the affairs of the Masons, the Shriners and the Odd Fellows. He also belonged to the Merry Macs, a Masonic organization that supports DeMolay, the Masonic youth groups.
His wife of 26 years, Grace Foster Dickerson, died in 1989. She too was a dwarf, standing 3 feet, 9 inches. Both were faithful members in the affairs of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Dickerson is survived by many nieces and nephews and friends. The closest survivor is his nephew, Bill Howard of St. Louis.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary, 6464 Chippewa Street, with an Odd Fellows service at 6 p.m., a Rose Croix service at 7:15 p.m. and a Blue Lodge Masonic service at 7:45 p.m.
The funeral will be at the funeral home Wednesday at 10 a.m., with burial in Park Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Dickerson, a dwarf, got into clowning in the late 1960's, using the name Doe-Doe the Clown. His trademark white-face makeup, a red-and-yellow satin outfit, a bow tie, a derby - and a yellow miniscooter.
For 20 years, Mr. Dickerson hawked Shrine Circus tickets outside the National supermarket at Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street. "Whenever the Shriners needed a clown, for a parade or at the Shriners Hospital, he was there," said Betty Howard of St. Louis, the wife of Mr. Dickerson's nephew, Bill Howard.
When asked if Mr. Dickerson had a specific routine, she said, "He didn't have an act - he was the act." She said Mr. Dickerson had especially delighted children because his size was their size.
Mr. Dickerson was born in Greenville, southeastern Missouri, the only drawf in a family of 15 children. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette Dickerson.
He moved to St. Louis in the Korean War period and went to work as an assembly-line worker at McDonnell Douglas. Mr. Dickerson's small stature enabled him to perform intricate work inside the cramped noses of fighter planes. Special controls let him get about the wheel of his car.
Mr. Dickerson was active in the affairs of the Masons, the Shriners and the Odd Fellows. He also belonged to the Merry Macs, a Masonic organization that supports DeMolay, the Masonic youth groups.
His wife of 26 years, Grace Foster Dickerson, died in 1989. She too was a dwarf, standing 3 feet, 9 inches. Both were faithful members in the affairs of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Dickerson is survived by many nieces and nephews and friends. The closest survivor is his nephew, Bill Howard of St. Louis.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary, 6464 Chippewa Street, with an Odd Fellows service at 6 p.m., a Rose Croix service at 7:15 p.m. and a Blue Lodge Masonic service at 7:45 p.m.
The funeral will be at the funeral home Wednesday at 10 a.m., with burial in Park Lawn Cemetery.
Raymond E. Dickerson, whose 4-foot, 1 inch stature made him a big name among clowns at the Shrine Circus, died Sunday (May 2, 1993) of cancer at Alexian Brothers Lansdowne Center, a nursing home at 4614 Lansdowne Avenue. He was 80.
Mr. Dickerson, a dwarf, got into clowning in the late 1960's, using the name Doe-Doe the Clown. His trademark white-face makeup, a red-and-yellow satin outfit, a bow tie, a derby - and a yellow miniscooter.
For 20 years, Mr. Dickerson hawked Shrine Circus tickets outside the National supermarket at Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street. "Whenever the Shriners needed a clown, for a parade or at the Shriners Hospital, he was there," said Betty Howard of St. Louis, the wife of Mr. Dickerson's nephew, Bill Howard.
When asked if Mr. Dickerson had a specific routine, she said, "He didn't have an act - he was the act." She said Mr. Dickerson had especially delighted children because his size was their size.
Mr. Dickerson was born in Greenville, southeastern Missouri, the only drawf in a family of 15 children. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette Dickerson.
He moved to St. Louis in the Korean War period and went to work as an assembly-line worker at McDonnell Douglas. Mr. Dickerson's small stature enabled him to perform intricate work inside the cramped noses of fighter planes. Special controls let him get about the wheel of his car.
Mr. Dickerson was active in the affairs of the Masons, the Shriners and the Odd Fellows. He also belonged to the Merry Macs, a Masonic organization that supports DeMolay, the Masonic youth groups.
His wife of 26 years, Grace Foster Dickerson, died in 1989. She too was a dwarf, standing 3 feet, 9 inches. Both were faithful members in the affairs of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Dickerson is survived by many nieces and nephews and friends. The closest survivor is his nephew, Bill Howard of St. Louis.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary, 6464 Chippewa Street, with an Odd Fellows service at 6 p.m., a Rose Croix service at 7:15 p.m. and a Blue Lodge Masonic service at 7:45 p.m.
The funeral will be at the funeral home Wednesday at 10 a.m., with burial in Park Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Dickerson, a dwarf, got into clowning in the late 1960's, using the name Doe-Doe the Clown. His trademark white-face makeup, a red-and-yellow satin outfit, a bow tie, a derby - and a yellow miniscooter.
For 20 years, Mr. Dickerson hawked Shrine Circus tickets outside the National supermarket at Grand Boulevard and Chippewa Street. "Whenever the Shriners needed a clown, for a parade or at the Shriners Hospital, he was there," said Betty Howard of St. Louis, the wife of Mr. Dickerson's nephew, Bill Howard.
When asked if Mr. Dickerson had a specific routine, she said, "He didn't have an act - he was the act." She said Mr. Dickerson had especially delighted children because his size was their size.
Mr. Dickerson was born in Greenville, southeastern Missouri, the only drawf in a family of 15 children. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Lafayette Dickerson.
He moved to St. Louis in the Korean War period and went to work as an assembly-line worker at McDonnell Douglas. Mr. Dickerson's small stature enabled him to perform intricate work inside the cramped noses of fighter planes. Special controls let him get about the wheel of his car.
Mr. Dickerson was active in the affairs of the Masons, the Shriners and the Odd Fellows. He also belonged to the Merry Macs, a Masonic organization that supports DeMolay, the Masonic youth groups.
His wife of 26 years, Grace Foster Dickerson, died in 1989. She too was a dwarf, standing 3 feet, 9 inches. Both were faithful members in the affairs of the Baptist Church.
Mr. Dickerson is survived by many nieces and nephews and friends. The closest survivor is his nephew, Bill Howard of St. Louis.
Visitation will be today from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary, 6464 Chippewa Street, with an Odd Fellows service at 6 p.m., a Rose Croix service at 7:15 p.m. and a Blue Lodge Masonic service at 7:45 p.m.
The funeral will be at the funeral home Wednesday at 10 a.m., with burial in Park Lawn Cemetery.
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