Doyle L. Dixon

Doyle L. Dixon, 77, of Shawnee, Kansas, passed from the arms of his family into God's loving embrace on Friday, October 1, 2010.

Doyle was born November 14, 1932, in Ottumwa, Iowa. During his childhood, his family lived in the towns of Russell, Cedar Rapids, and Indianola, Iowa, where Doyle graduated high school. Shortly after enrolling at Simpson College in Indianola, and just prior to the end of the Korean War, he was drafted into the Army and served at Fort Carson, Colorado. Following his term of service, he returned to Simpson and earned a Bachelor's degree in business administration.

In 1958, Doyle married his wife of 52 years, Lorraine (Lamb) Dixon. Doyle and Lorraine settled first in the Beaverdale area of Des Moines, Iowa, where they raised their family and where Doyle managed Contract Sales for Sears, Roebuck and Co., the company he would work for for the following 32 years. In 1981, Doyle's career took the family to Shawnee, Kansas, where he lived the rest of his life. After retiring from Sears, he developed the marketing program for a division of the Kansas City private investigation firm Clarence M. Kelley and Associates, then went on to do the same for the KC Metro Transit Co. He finally retired from business in 2000, after almost 50 years of dedicated, successful work in the field he loved.

Doyle had incredible enthusiasm for life and pursued many interests through the years. Among his favorites were boating, skiing, fishing, motorsports, classic cars and travel. But above all, he loved simply spending time with his family. He returned to Iowa time and again to visit relatives, gave generously of his time to friends, and created countless joyful times in the lives of his grandchildren, his children, and his wife.

Doyle is survived by his wife Lorraine, of the family home in Shawnee. Other survivors include his brother, DeVerne Dixon of Indianola, Iowa; two daughters, Laurie Dixon and partner Lynn Beatty of Grain Valley, Missouri and Jennifer Dixon and partner Teree Guynn of Kansas City, Missouri; a son, Kevin Dixon and wife Jane of Lawrence, Kansas; and grandchildren Kaitlyn, Sean and Bailey Dixon, also of Lawrence.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Heart Association, 6800 W. 93rd Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66212.

Visitation and Funeral Service

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m, Thursday, October 7, 2010, at the Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee. Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery in Shawnee. The family will receive friends from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home.