Dean Dixon

January 16, 1924 - October 7, 2018

The mortal life of Dean LaVerne Dixon, age 94 years, came to an end the evening of October 7, 2018, at the Hospice House in Ottumwa, Iowa. This great and good man was born January 16, 1924, in Bloomfield, Iowa, the firstborn child of Lester C. and Ruby N. Rees Dixon. He was raised in Bloomfield and spent his entire life in Davis County aside from his time in the service in World War II. His memory remained undimmed until the day of his passing, and he often recounted the stories of his growing up in depression days with his siblings. He recalled the Sheriff coming to the door of his father’s new home with eviction papers when they let the property go for taxes during those hard times. After that, they spent a hardscrabble year on a rented farm near Mark, before returning to the city. During the war, Dean, served on the USS Hammerhead, a submarine in the South Pacific based out of Fremantle, western Australia. He frequently fondly related the tales of his adventures in Australia and on the submarine. His stories included tales of attacks on enemy ships, being chased by depth charges from enemy vessels, and the sub picking up a navigator adrift in the Pacific from a downed B-24. His submarine was at Saipan, when unbeknownst to the crew, the atomic bomb destined to be dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was at the B-29 base at the adjacent island of Tinian, where the sailors watched the bombers mass for their bombing runs on Japan. He likewise regaled family members with tales of hijinks about driving officers on leave from war patrols around Perth Australia. After his discharge in 1946, he returned to Bloomfield where he married Dorothy M. Gordy on September 1, 1946. In 1953, they built the home in Bloomfield where they would live the balance of their lives in a home filled with love and security. After working with his brother-in-law and close friend, John Willcoxson, hauling lime for a number of years, he bought and operated Bloomfield Oil Company until his retirement. He was a member of the Bloomfield Methodist Church, and was active in the American Legion until the end. He also served on the Bloomfield City Council. He and Dorothy enjoyed boating with their children and grandchildren, and Dean remained an avid golfer, playing actively until he was 93 years of age. After his daughter, Dana, had married and moved to New York, they would return and spend their summers in Bloomfield with their children while they were young. Dean and Dorothy were able to travel extensively throughout the country during their life together with their friends and their daughter, Dana and her husband David, who they regularly visited in upstate New York. They were able to visit all fifty states. Dean was always the rock of the family, and his calm patient manner and knowledge always sustained those around him. His wife, Dorothy, preceded him in death January 8, 2016, after sixty-nine years of marriage. The memories of this remarkable, unassuming man will always be treasured by his family, his Legion comrades in arms, and his golfing partners. He is survived by his daughter, Dana L. (David) O’Brien of Waterville, New York; son, David D. (Patricia) Dixon of Oskaloosa, Iowa; four grandchildren, Allison (Jason) Heller of Clifton Park, New York, Ian O’Brien of Waterville, New York, Laura (Teague) Smith of Las Vegas, Nevada, Erin (Jesse) Godden of Bellevue, Nebraska; 12 great-grandchildren, Max Heller, Peter Heller, Charlie Heller, Dean O’Brien (named after his great-grandfather), Henry O’Brien, Maeve O’Brien, Eva Smith, Teagan Smith, Violet Smith, Rebecca Smith, Jaxton Godden, Alexia Godden; two brothers, Gene (Jerri) Dixon of Centerville, Iowa, Jack (Jeannie) Dixon of Bloomfield; sister, Karen (Bruce) Rosengren of Plymouth, Minnesota; and two sisters-in-law, JoAnn Dixon and Sandy Dixon. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; sister, Virginia Dixon (1944); and two brothers, Bill and Larry Dixon. Graveside services with burial of the cremated remains will be at noon on Saturday, October 20, 2018, at the IOOF Cemetery in Bloomfield with Rev. Tim Frasher officiating. Military rites will be performed by Reed-Whisler Post #78 of the American Legion. Visitation with family present to greet friends will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the procession to the IOOF cemetery at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to Reed-Whisler Post #78 of the American Legion, which was always close to Dean’s heart.