Kenneth Dixon September 2, 1926 ~ July 7, 2020 (age 93)

Obituary

Funeral services for Kenneth Dixon, 93, of Nogal, NM will be held at 2:00 PM, Fri, July 10, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Elida with Rev. Cheston Fair officiating, assisted by Rev. Todd Sullen.  Burial will follow in the Elida Cemetery with Kenton Perkins, Alex DeLaVega, Zach Bingham, Dustin Dixon, Ty Thompson, Morgan Fraze, Pecos Dixon, Pryce Dixon, Taylen DeLaVega and Slade Thompson serving as pallbearers.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 629, Portales, NM 88130.

Herschel Kenneth Dixon, known to virtually everyone as Kenneth, was born Sept. 2, 1926, in Sentinel, OK to the home of Lonnie Mae (Squires) and O. P. Dixon, and passed from this life on the morning of July 7, 2020 in Lubbock, TX.  Mr. Dixon grew up in Ruidoso, NM, and joined the US Navy during World War II.  He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations aboard the CC Ballew and the USS Sheridan.  Following the War, he returned home to Ruidoso, and then spent a brief period of time working in a plywood plant in Oregon.  He was working as a mechanic in Anton, TX when he met LaNita Heard, and the couple was married in Clovis, NM on Mar 21, 1950.

He made his home in the Elida area for many years where he owned and operated a Phillips 66 service station and ranched and farmed.  In 1989, he and his wife moved to Nogal.  At the age of 89 he purchased a sawmill which he ran by himself until about two years ago.  Mr. Dixon was a very accomplished wood worker, and had made toy boxes, china cabinets, dressers and other items of furniture for his family members.  For relaxation, he enjoyed fishing, sometimes multiple times in a day.

Kenneth was a devout and faithful Christian.  During his nearly 40 years as a deacon, he had served in the congregations of First Baptist Church Elida, Capitan and Ruidoso.  At the time of his death he was a member of First Baptist Church, Ruidoso.  Kenneth was  a loving husband, father and grandfather.

He is survived by LaNita Dixon, his wife of more than 70 years of their home in Nogal; four sons and three daughters-in-law, Charles Dixon of Alto, NM, Herschel and Connie Dixon of Elida, NM, Stanley and Vickie Dixon of Portales and Durward and Tina Dixon of Elida, NM; a daughter and son-in-law, Jeannette and Larry Perkins of Tucumcari, NM; eleven grandchildren, Brecca Addison, Kendra (Alex) DeLaVega, Tammy (Zach) Bingham, Dustin (Tonya) Dixon, Danna (Ty) Thompson, Kenton Perkins, Kennetha Perkins, Keannette Russell, Sunni Dixon, Morgan Fraze and Kendra (Mike) Soto.  He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Richard Dixon and a sister, Dorma Lee Wheeler, and a grandson-in-law, Tyler Russell.