That’s the sign in Ron Richardson‘s yard along Fauntleroy across from Lincoln Park, which he updates with the death and injury toll in the Iraq war. We’ve told you about it before; our most recent post, and comments on it, led to coverage in the citywide media. Richardson introduced himself to us at our table at the recent Sustainable West Seattle Festival in The Junction, and told us he’d added a new number to his sign, in honor of an area resident killed in the war in 2005, Christopher Dickison (photo right). Here’s his story of how that happened — timely as Memorial Day approaches:

The most important response [to the sign], by far, came three weeks ago when a woman and several of her family knocked at my door. The woman, Leanna Dickison, wanted to thank me for having the sign. She told me that her son, Christopher Wayne Dickison, was fatality number 1754. Christopher’s twin sister Rhonda Herrera was part of the group. Chris’ mother had made a blanket as a gift for me. I thanked her and suggested she take the blanket to the VA Hospital and present it to one of the Iraq vets at the VA.

I have since visited Leanna and learned more about Christopher. The family lives in White Center. Christopher was a graduate of Evergreen High. He joined the military in 2002. He was in Iraq for a year when his tour of duty was extended. It was during this extension that Chris was killed. I looked up Chris’s name on the internet and found articles and memory pages by those who knew him as a friend, a relative and as a comrade in arms. This reminded me that the internet can be a rallying place for folks to share their respect and love.

I have attached a current photo of the sign, a photo of Chris and a list of some of the websites that memorialize Chris. I have added the number 1754 on the sign and it will stay there. Each time I change the other numbers I will remember Chris and his family. They are our neighbors and part of our community. As folks spot my sign I hope they remember Chris and all of the others killed and wounded in Iraq. I also think about this war and why we are fighting it. I hope your readers think upon this as well.

Here are the links that Ron provided: a page featuring citywide media coverage from Christopher’s death in 2005, a guestbook that he has signed and you can too, and a video tribute posted online.

Side note: Richardson also is involved with another issue right now — voter-owned elections — and told us he’ll be speaking about that at tonight’s Delridge District Council meeting (7 pm, Southwest Precinct).