Dawn Marie (Shearer) Dixon (2024)

ANDREWS, CORE, DIXON, GRAULICH, HENERY, SHAW, SHEARER, VAN HERREWEGHE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 12/4/2024 at 09:32:36

Overton Funeral Home
Indianola, Iowa

January 14, 1930 - November 28, 2024

Services for Dawn Marie Dixon, 94, of Indianola, who passed away Thursday, November 28, 2024 at The Village, will be held 1:30 p.m., Friday, December 6, 2024 at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Indianola, with burial following in the Indianola I.O.O.F. Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Our wife and mother missed her heavenly family very much, so she departed our lives on earth to be with them and her Lord on Thanksgiving. What a joyous, music filled reunion it would be.

Dawn, third of four children, was born to Zella and Clyde Shearer on January 14, 1930 in the East Peru, Iowa family home on what would be one of the coldest days of the year and the snowiest that January. The doctor and his assistant shoveled and pushed his car the 12 miles from Winterset. And the next day a nurse stoked the wood burning stove so much that the flue turned bright red up through the roof of the two story house. This prompted her father to install central heating quickly thereafter.

Dawn grew up in a family of musicians and educators, so was naturally drawn to both. She really wanted to be a nurse but her doctor brother talked her out of it. She enjoyed playing the piano, and singing alto in community, college and church choirs as well as attending concerts. She graduated from Winterset High School and attended Simpson College to obtain her 2-year teaching certificate so she could return to East Peru to teach and give support to her mother and younger sister, Carol, after the death of her father. While at Simpson, she met the love of her life, DeVerne Dixon, whom she married on June 17, 1951.

After marriage she returned to Simpson to finish her Bachelor’s degree in education. While living in ‘the barracks’ on campus, they created wonderful memories with friends. She was a devoted member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and recently celebrated her 77 years of membership.

In 1953, she and DeVerne designed and built their first home on North E Street (then mud!) in Indianola and in 1957 welcomed their first child, Denise Marie. Then in 1960, David Robert came along. The family moved to Ames and Marshalltown, then back to Indianola in 1972 to take up the marine business DeVerne and his father had begun in 1960. Dixon Marine (formerly Dixon Sports Afloat) was a thriving business until the recession hit and they closed in 1979. Always a lifelong learner, Dawn took accounting courses at Simpson to become a better business manager.

Dawn was passionate about many things: faith, family, children, animals, and flowers (she had 10 green thumbs) among the most prominent. She was an excellent seamstress, creating her wedding dress, suits, dresses, kids’ clothes, doll clothes, draperies and slipcovers. Following her passion for teaching, she taught third grade at Irving Elementary in Indianola and later created their Remedial Reading Program. Dawn taught Sunday School and Summer Bible School classes, served as a Deacon and on many committees at the Presbyterian churches her family attended. She even took a position as church custodian when times were tough. Over the years she was a member of three PEO chapters, Presbyterian Women groups, Alpha Chi Omega Alum Club and House Corporation, Indianola Federated Music Club, a long time Meals on Wheels coordinator for Trinity members and one of several Trinity women who began Helping Hand.

Dawn and DeVerne built their second dream home on an acreage outside Indianola where they lived until 2019, when they moved to the Aspen apartments at The Village in Indianola. This afforded more opportunities for friendships and later residence in the care center where she lived the last 2 years. Forever in love, DeVerne would visit several times every day to talk, watch TV, listen to music or just sit holding hands enjoying each other's company and the beautiful flowers through her window. Often nurses and aides would take a moment to sit, to listen to their stories and maybe learn something. A Fibromyalgia sufferer for more than 40 years, Dawn helped a CNA navigate her own diagnosis. She was forever serving and teaching.

Left to honor her memory is her husband DeVerne Dixon of 73 years; children, Denise (Alan) Core and David (Christa Van Herreweghe) Dixon; grandchildren, Leah (Andy) Andrews and Chad (Susan) Core; great-grandchildren, Seth (Maegan) Core, Kaila Core, Aaliyah Core, Ian Core and Paisley Graulich. Even though the grandchildren were brought into the family by marriage, they and the many cherished nieces and nephews and their families were loved as her own. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Zella Shearer; siblings, Dr. Sherl K. Shearer, Marilyn Henery and Carol Shaw as well as all aunts, uncles and cousins - leaving her the oldest living survivor - a distinction she didn’t especially enjoy but accomplished it anyway.

Visitation will be held prior to services, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at the church. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be given in memory of Dawn to Trinity United Presbyterian Church 200 S Howard St, Indianola IA 50125 trinityupc.org, Kiya Koda Humane Society 1206 North Jefferson Way, Indianola IA 50125 kiyakoda.com, St. Croix Hospice Support Foundation 7755 3rd Street N, Ste 200, Oakdale MN 55128 or to a charity of your choice.

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