Hazel Marie Dixon

Hazel Marie Dixon, 80, of Springfield, left her temporary earthly home on September 28, 2023, to live forevermore in her heavenly mansion. Hazel was born the daughter of Clyde and Gracie Dixon on March 13, 1943. She was the third child of seven; brothers, Paul Eugene Dixon, Melvin (Ruth) Dixon and sisters, Thelma (RW) Williams, Ruth (Jack) Williams, Mary Dixon, Linda(Thomas) Midkiff. Hazel graduated from Shawnee High School in 1962. The very next day she entered the workplace with the Olan Mills Company: she retired 41 years later having never missed a days work! Never missing a days work in all those years was impressive, however, Hazel was tirelessly dedicated and commited to serving Jesus her entire life and never missed a day thanking Him for how blessed she felt. She was a lifelong member of the First Church of Christ in Chritian Union on Woodside Avenue. Hazels simple faith was lived out daily through her endless service to others. Her specialty was loving children and making sure they came to church. For MANY years she gave endless hours a week to reaching kids to Jesus through a bus ministry. Every Saturday morning, without fail, she would call on each of the children by either visiting them at their home or calling them on the phone telling them what time to be ready for pick up on the bus for Sunday School. Only eternity will tell us just how much her caring actions changed a child’s future. Hazel was the BEST Aunt anyone ever had. No, seriously, her nieces and nephews were spoiled by her. She loved to play games, bake sweet treats, sing songs, countless trips to Young’s Dairy to play putt-putt and eat ice cream. She loved to joke with them. One of her funniest pranks was secretly buying fireball candys, lining kids up in a row and telling them she would give a prize to the great niece or nephew who could keep the hot candy in their mouth the longest. She laughed and laughed knowing the hot burning tongues and watering eyes that were about to be endured in order to receive the special prize (usually a big balloon with a rubber band as the handle). She knew each of their likes and was very thoughtful in her selection of gifts. She was known for her scrumptious sugar cookies that were soft and beautifully decorated for each holiday, Graham Cracker pies and her German Chocolate cakes. Hazel always encouraged each of them by attending various sporting endeavors and was their loudest cheerleader. She and her sisters were inseparable and loved to travel. They have been taking sister vacations for over 50 years. Hazel, Ruthie, Mary, Linda and Thelma’s trips were always full of adventure, to say the least, and often involved laughing until someone wet their pants, eating the endless amount of snacks and sodas that were packed in the boot and shopping for their next money making project. The bond that the sisters had is deep. They loved each other immensely through each of life’s tragedies and triumphs with intentional solidarity. Her brother Melvin took care to fix the car, help with maintenance issues, and reach the stuff on the high shelves that she couldn’t. He was her protector and security blanket. Mary and Hazel have probably had the most heart to heart relationship. In the 30 plus years of living together their love cannot be expressed through words alone, but on the countless stories and secrets they have on each other! They never complained about each others idiosyncrasies (lol) but rather cherished each others uniqueness, “always”(really laughing now). In all seriousness, they comforted each other and were great companions and confidantes. They were at each others side right up until the last breath. Thank you Judy and Donna for being special girl cousins. The years of memories were often talked about by her with great fondness. Hazel was the family Historian. Thanks to her love of photography, we now have proof of every awful hairstyle and ugly clothes fads from the past 80 years. Her closet is FULL of photo albums and shoeboxes filled with the family’s holidays, birthdays, births, weddings, vacations, picnics, reunions, graduations, sporting events just to start the list. Many of those pictures have started to fade and wear with age and handling. But the memories that each photo evokes of important moments in time has made her famous phrase, “ Sit down…stop moving… look at me” worth every… “SMILE” ….click.
A time to visit with her family will be Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 2 – 4 PM at First Church of Christ in Christian Union, 2101 Woodside Ave., Springfield, Ohio. Funeral services will follow at 4 PM with Rev. Bruce Sigman officiating. Graveside services will be Monday at 10 AM in Ferncliff Cemetery.