John Lloyd Dixon was born on June 6, 1939 to H. Hadley and Esther M. (Alexander) Dixon in Springfield, Missouri. He died on May 31, 2016 at age 76 while a resident at Jordan Creek Nursing and Rehab (Springfield) with complications from Parkinson’s disease.
John Lloyd grew up in Morrisville, MO and graduated from Marion C. Early High School (Morrisville) in 1957. John was a hard worker, raised on a farm. He was employed by Mid-America Dairy in Springfield, working in the lab for 40 years. He was a staunch union member, and was well-known for the ability to pull great practical jokes on his friends and co-workers. He was also a gifted auto mechanic, working on friends’ cars in Morrisville and for two service stations on Kearney Street in Springfield for several years as a second job to support his family. After he retired from Mid-Am, he worked for Route 66 Auto Auction for several years, and he was the one man whom they knew could start and/or unlock almost any vehicle on the lot. John delivered “Meals on Wheels” for a time, and he served on several committees at his church. He enjoyed telling a good story, times spent on the lake fishing or boating with family and friends, watching Cardinals baseball and attending men’s and women’s Missouri State basketball games with his wife Donna and his brother Jack and other friends. John and Donna also enjoyed traveling to several beautiful locations all over the world. One of his favorite trips was to the Holy Land, where he was ‘re-baptized’ in the Jordan River. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one step-son, Darrell Lill; and one step-granddaughter, Destiny Davis.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Donna (Haynes) Dixon; one step-daughter, Sharon (Lill) Davis; one step-son, Chris Lill; two sons and their wives, David Lloyd and Beth (Baker) Dixon and John Michael and Jan (Quillin) Dixon; one step-grandson, Benjamin Davis; four grandchildren, Laura (Dixon) Bly, Jacob Dixon, Ethan Dixon, and Jamie (Dixon) Haugsted; four great-grandchildren, Phillip, Anna, Lillian, and Noah Bly; and one great-grandson due to be born in late June, Greyson Michael Haugsted. John is also survived by his older brother, Jack A. Dixon, and family.
Family and friends are invited to visitation at Grace United Methodist Church, Springfield from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 6, with the funeral service to follow at the church at 11:00. Interment will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make a memorial gift in honor of John Lloyd to either Preferred Hospice of Missouri (Southwest), or Grace United Methodist Church.