Dickie Lee Hebert Priest

Dickie Lee Hebert Priest, 87, died peacefully at home on August 12, 2022, in Springfield, Missouri. Dickie, born January 14, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Edna Lee Hebert and Richard Hebert Sr., was raised in Fulton, Mo. An exceptional student, Dickie was a National Merit Scholar and was awarded the Seven Sisters Scholarship. After choosing to attend Radcliffe College, where she was crowned “Miss Radcliffe 1956”, she later transferred to the University of Missouri. A member of the Delta Gamma sorority and the Sigma Tau Delta honor society, she went on to earn a Master of Arts in Speech. She married Richard “Dick“ Priest in 1957, and moved to Springfield, Mo. Upon his retirement in 1989, they moved to Florida to be closer to family. Dickie returned to Springfield, Mo., in 2021. Dickie had a lifelong love of golf, music and duplicate bridge, and was known for her sharp wit and competitive spirit. She volunteered for various organizations including the Junior League, the Campfire Girls and adult literacy programs. She worked as the first paralegal at The Strong Law Firm in Springfield before assuming the role of doting grandmother in Florida. Dickie was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Priest; sister, Mary Gale Schram and brother Richard Hebert Jr. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Tracy Priest Heath and Robert Heath, Springfield, Mo.; brother and sister-in-law, Hal and Pat Hebert of Jefferson City, Mo; grandsons, Bryan "Alex" Heath of Springfield, Mo. and Richard "Adam" Heath and wife, Dr. Bailey Bigelow, of Baton Rouge, La.; nieces Susan Baugh, Kristen Risdal, Leslie Poggemiller and nephew William A. Schram III. A celebration of her life will be held at The Finley, 206 E. Elm St., Ozark, Mo, Saturday, September 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rescue One, Springfield, Mo.