B.I. George Dixon

The life of George Dixon, age 95, of Marshalltown, came to a peaceful close on Thursday, October 10th, with his family at his side at the Iowa River Hospice Home. He would be the first to attest he had a great life doing what he loved with the people he loved.           Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 16th, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with Pastor Nan Smith officiating. Masonic rites will be presented at the start of the service. Full military honors by the combined American Legion and VFW Posts in the Marshalltown area will be presented following the service. Visitation will be held one-hour prior to the services at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Iowa River Hospice. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234.           Born Bunny Irvine Dixon on September 9th, 1924, in Luther, Iowa, he was the only child born to Roy and Tina Louise (Irvine) Dixon. He graduated from the Ames High School following his return from active service in WWII.           When he was a young boy, he started calling himself “George.” In 1951, he legally added George to his name and went by Bunny Irvine George Dixon. He was also of strong work ethic- carrying the Des Moines Register and shined shoes at Goodyear Shoe Store in College town/Ames.           He served our country honorably in the United States in WWII. Now being a man who did things in his own unique way, he decided to enlist along with his best friend from school. He did this when he was a senior in high school. He did not know what branch to enlist in (his friend did Marines), so he decided to take the hallway to the right in the enlistment center and the second door on the left would be the branch- it was the US Coast Guard.           After WWII and finishing high school, he did a correspondence course and then attended the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. He returned to Ames to begin working at the Duckworth Funeral Home.           Two years later, he purchased the Morfoot Funeral Home in Nevada, Iowa until selling 20 years later. He also owned and operated Nevada Floral and Green house as well as the first automatic car wash in the area. He and pilot Bob Nelson of Nevada, established the first Air-Ambulance in the area (a forerunner of Life Flight). At the age of 42, he “retired” to a cabin on the Des Moines River near Oskaloosa. This only lasted six months.           In 1969, he returned to funeral service by taking a job at the Estel-Perrin Funeral Home in Marshalltown.  He retired from full time funeral directing in 1991 but remained part-time to assist with funerals for a number of years.           He was blessed with four dear wives over his lifetime- Lenora “Len” the mother of his children Claudia and Kirk. He was also married to Daleen and Gladys. In 2000, he was united in marriage with Mary Herbert.           George was a member of the Hope United Methodist Church, Marshall Masonic Lodge, Frank Lewis Glick American Legion Post #46, Harry C. Harter VFW Post #839, Elks Lodge, ZaGaZig Shrine of Des Moines and the noon Lions Club. He loved to dance, travel and be with people.           About three years ago, he and Mary moved to Glenwood Place in Marshalltown. He became their self-appointed “Public Relations Concierge.” He loved welcoming people coming to the best place ever!           George had a colorful list of “George-isms” including “No Hill For A Climber” “Pocket in a shirt” “Keep Smiling” “Everyone wants two chickens in the pot and a car in the garage” and “The World would be a boring place if everyone drove a two-door black Chevy.” He always told others he was fantastic- even when the past few years might not have been.           Left to cherish his memory are his children: Claudia Dixon-Nehring of Nevada, Kirk (Davona) Dixon in Idaho, Susan (John) Herbert-Verhulst of Des Moines, and Jenny (Bruce) Herbert-Kaufman of Crawfordsville, IA; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; “adopted” son Marty Mitchell and family of Marshalltown as well as his family at Glenwood Place and numerous friends.           In heaven, he was promptly greeted by Mary, who passed last year, his dad Roy, his mother Tina who died when he was two and many aunts and uncles he treasured as well as others