Howard Dixon

HOWARD E. DIXON,Age 77 of Elburn, passed away Friday evening, November 10, 2006 at Delnor Community Hospital, Geneva after several months of declining health. BORN / EARLY YEARSHe was born March 19, 1929 in Geneva, IL, with his twin brother "Herb" the son of Roland James and Elsie (Cupp) Dixon. He and his five brothers and sisters, grew up in West Chicago, IL where Howard graduated from high school with the class of 1948.EDUCATIONBoth Howard and Herb had a gift for music and began playing at an early age. Howard played trumpet and Herb the drums. Through high school, Howard played in the concert and marching bands but had a flare for the dance band where he played with his classmate, Don Zahn. But Howard didn’t need his trumpet to make music, he whistled while he worked. Year later neighbors would know when he was mowing the lawn because you could hear his fancy whistling above the whine of the mower. MILITARY:Following graduation he entered the U.S. Navy in September of 1948. He served with the quartermasters on board the USS Warrington, USS Small and the USS Point Cruz. With characteristic good humor, he called himself a "Skivie Waver" and sailed from the South China Sea to Panama to the Bering Straits. Years later, he and another Elburn sailor, Almer Gliddon would swap stories and two-dollar bills, recalling their sailor years.MARRIAGE & FAMILYDischarged in 1952 he returned to West Chicago where his friends Don Zahn and Marge Fish, introduced this young G.I. to Carolyn Hansen at Railroad Days in West Chicago. Howard was in no hurry to get married but this romance was on track to take him to the altar by August 14, 1954. OCCUPATION / WORK HISTORY Howard began working as a draftsman for Dunbar-Kapple, Batavia but shortly, they moved to Palo Alto California where Howard’s brother Herb had recently moved. In 1955, their daughter Diane was born. Howard took a job with Ampex Corp. but the following year, returned to work at Dunbar-Kapple and they made their home in Geneva. In 1963, his son Rick was born and in 1969 Howard began working at Furnas Electric, Batavia. He also worked briefly at Flexonics before taking a job at Fermi Lab, Batavia. For the next twenty years, Howard worked as a draftsmen with the Technical Support Division, creating the drawings that would become the Fermi Lab Accelerator. At work, as throughout his life, Howard made and kept many friends. MEMBERSHIPSHoward was a proud member and past commander (1997) of the Daniel Simpson American Legion Post, Elburn where he was active for many years and responsible for the memorial Bibles given to bereaved families. He also served as president of Elburn Baseball for a time through the mid-seventies. LIFE NOTES Among Howard’s many talents was a gift for perspective that brought even cold-mechanical drawings to life. In his youth, he dreamed of becoming a cartoonist and enjoyed sketching caricatures for family and friends. But Howard’s perspective also had a fourth dimension through his faith. It was something you sensed in his friendship, his handshake and his open heart. Quiet and gentle, yet constant as a heartbeat, Howard’s faith brought that fourth-dimension of life to every relationship. His devotion to God, country and family was plain and clear. SURVIVORS In addition to his wife, Carolyn he is survived by two children and four grandchildren:One son, Richard "Rick" (Lori) Dixon of Elburn, IL and their family:Samantha and Brian Dixon;One daughter, Diane (Philip) Lippert of Greyslake, IL and their family:Sarah (Brent) LaRowe of Chicago, IL andSharon Lippert of Mundelein, IL;Three siblings and their families: His twin brother, Herbert (Helen) Dixon of Hampshire, IL;Two sisters: Judith (Charles) Slovinski of Wautoma, WI and Betty Kroning of Marshfield, WI and their families. His former sister-in-law, Phyllis Dixon of Milwaukee, WI and her family.In addition he leaves a family of friends and classmates in whose hearts he will forever be present wherever friends gather. PRECEDED He is preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Fred Dixon and one brother-in-law, Donald Kroning.VISITATION / FUNERAL Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 17, from 3-8pm and Saturday 9:30 until 10:15am at Conley Funeral Home 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn. Funeral services will be held at 10:30am Saturday at the funeral home with interment to follow at Blackberry Cemetery, Elburn. MEMORIAL A memorial has been established in Howard’s name to benefit various area charities. Memorials checks may be made to the Howard Dixon Memorial and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes and memories may also be forwarded to the family at the same address or through his obituary at www.conleycare.com. For information phone 630-365-6414 or 800-8-CONLEY.

Visitation will be held Friday, Nov. 17, from 3-8pm and Saturday 9:30 until 10:15am at Conley Funeral Home 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn. Funeral services will be held at 10:30am Saturday at the funeral home with interment to follow at Blackberry Cemetery, Elburn.

MEMORIAL A memorial has been established in Howard’s name to benefit various area charities. Memorials checks may be made to the Howard Dixon Memorial and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes and memories may also be forwarded to the family at the same address or through his obituary at www.conleycare.com. For information phone 630-365-6414 or 800-8-CONLEY.