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To Friends and Family of Mary Estella
Olson Dixon,
Our cherished mother, grandmother, sister and friend, age 94, left this life
peacefully surrounded by her family on March 31, 2005. She began life in
Oxford, Idaho, August 4, 1911. Estella was the oldest child of an Idaho farm
family of eight. She always felt that her family was blessed with "Goodly
Parents", Emil and Annie Olson. The family moved to Virginia, Idaho and as
the eldest child Estella worked hard at home, school, and always seemed to know
she wanted to be a teacher. She graduated from Downey High School, May 23, 1929,
and began teaching for Bannock County, Idaho in 1931. During this period, she
also found work in Pocatello, Idaho, continued her education and in 1933
received a two-year degree from the Southern Branch of Idaho State College. Much
later after marriage, raising a family, and teaching for many years, Estella
went back to Idaho State University and was awarded her BA degree in 1964.
Estella met her eternal mate, Kenneth Dixon of McCamon, Idaho. They met
at an open-air dance in Lava Hot Springs and it was love at first sight. They
married December 1, 1933 in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. Estella continued
teaching and in 1935 had her first and only child in Pocatello. Five years
latter, she moved to Kelly, Wyoming, in the heart of the beautiful Teton
Mountains, to live in a log cabin on the school grounds by a two-room school.
Here she taught her sons first grade class and shared teaching grades 1-9
with her husband. In 1942, Estella with her husband and son moved to the
Washington DC area where she continued to teach for the next thirty-five years.
Estella received many awards and commendations for teaching excellence. Shortly
after its dedication in 1974, Estella and Kenneth were called to work in the
Washington DC LDS Temple. Estella and her husband both retired from
teaching in 1978 to live in Saint George Utah. During her retirement years,
while keeping a home in St. George, she also resided in Boulder City, Nevada and
Bakersfield, California; and until his death she faithfully nursed and cared for
her much-loved husband whose health had failed.
Estella is survived by her son Ronald Dixon and his wife Heidi of Saint George
Utah; her granddaughter Rebecca Lynne Tress and her husband David of Henderson,
Nevada; and their children Aaron, Benjamin and Michelle; and her grandson
Spencer Remde Dixon and his wife Susan of Salt Lake City, and their children
James, Kathryn, Victoria, Camille, and Alexander. Estella is also
survived two sisters Fontella Sorenson of Preston, Idaho, and Artel Crowder and
her husband Kent of Orlando, Florida; and two brothers Cecil Olson and his wife
Ann of Boise, Idaho, and Dale Olson and his wife Renee of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Funeral services will be Thursday, April 6, 2006 at 2:00 pm at the
Metcalf Mortuary, 300 West St. George Blvd. St. George, Utah. Visitations will
be from 12:30 to 1:30 pm on the day of the funeral. Interment will be in the St.
George Cemetery.
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