Jerry Dixon, 62, died in Seward Sept. 9, 2010, in the arms of both his sons and with his wife and other close relatives and friends enveloping him in their love.
During the past few years, he had lived bravely and fully despite having ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Jerry was born in Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 1948.
"Jerry was a smokejumper, a fire management officer and a fire ecologist for the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service," his family wrote. "He was one of the few jumpers in the history of smokejumping to have survived a double malfunction, when both parachutes fail to open when first deployed. He has also been a Yukon River ranger, a philosopher, a biologist, a wilderness ultra marathoner, a climber, a kayaker, an extreme skier, an avid conservationist, a guide, a writer and a teacher of the gifted, both in the Northwest Arctic and in Seward. He wrote three books, and many articles, too numerous to count.
"He also enjoyed and excelled at starting endowments at most of the non-profits he volunteered for. He started 17 endowment funds; scholarships, achievement awards, university lectureships, conservation internship opportunities, etc., and also raised enough money for Solace International to build a K-12 school in Afghanistan. He was on the Science Advisory Board for the Alaska SeaLife Center, and on boards for many conservation organizations over the years both in Alaska and in Idaho, (and) also the Iditarod Trailblazers in Seward.
His favorite movie during his last six months was 'Arctic Dance,The Mardy Murie Story,' which he watched at least once a week.
"He loved forming friendships with people whose lives were dedicated to conservation, such as Mardy Murie, Celia Hunter, Brina Kessel, Ginny Woods, Ralph Maughan and Nelle Tobias."
In addition, his family said, he loved his wife, Deborah, sons, Kipp and Pyper, family, friends, rivers, mountains, sky, God, country and all things wild and free. "He goes to ski thunderheads beyond the far horizon, and dance like fire upon the mountains."
Jerry is also survived by his brothers, Michael Dixon of Xian, China and Todd Dixon of Albuquerque, N.M.; sister, D'arcy Dixon-Pignanelli of Salt Lake City, Utah; and numerous adored nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jerry's memory to one of the following nonprofit organizations: National Smokejumpers Association, Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, Idaho Conservation League, or the Jerry Dixon Award for Excellence in Environmental Education at the Alaska Conservation Foundation, accessed at alaskaconservation.org/achievement-awards/achievement-award-categories.
"Climb like you have never fallen. Ski like you have never been injured. Jump as though your parachute has always opened. Kayak like you have never had to swim a rapid. Go early, go light, go far. And never, never stop dancing!" - Jerry Dixon
Visit the online memorial at legacy.com
Anchorage Daily News (AK) - Tuesday, September 14, 2010
JERRY DIXON
Salt Lake City UT United States
Jerry S. Dixon 1948 ~ 2010 He lived his dreams Jerry S. Dixon passed away from Lou Gehrig's disease on September 9, 2010 in Seward, Alaska with his wife and two sons holding him. He was the first child of Katie L. Dixon and Rod P. Dixon. He graduated from Skyline High School, and the University of Utah (UofU) where he made lifetime friends as a member of the downhill ski team and Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Jerry was born into a magical era; a baby boomer after World War II. He grew up in the suburbs of Salt Lake City, Utah at the base of Mt. Olympus where he explored the surrounding fields, canyons and mountains. This instilled in him the belief that every day was an adventure. He was blessed with a Mother who found the best doctors to mend his broken bones so he could continue to "live his dreams." Inspired by The Alaskans and Jack London books he headed North to Alaska, yet he always returned to Utah to see family and friends, visit the U of U, and ski his beloved Alta resort, which he skied for six decades. Jerry did strike gold in Alaska. His journey took him to a tiny Alaskan village above the Arctic Circle to teach school. There he met another teacher-a confident, caring woman who owned a team of sledding dogs. Fortunately for Jerry she consented to marry him. This year they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Together they reared two thoughtful and adventurous young men. Jerry's wife and sons shared and supported him in his adventures. Jerry's endeavors took him to every major river and mountain range in the western United States and included extreme voyages like the IditaSki (the Idatirod, but on cross country skis) and reenactment of the Lewis and Clark expedition on its 200th Anniversary. Jerry's body was ravaged by Lou Gehrig's disease, but his quest to live his dreams was not. Fifty days before his death he was rafting the Grand Canyon with his sons and friends. Jerry is survived by his wife Deborah, and sons Kipp and Pyper of Seward, Alaska; brothers Mike of China, and Todd of Albuquerque, New Mexico, his only sister, D'Arcy Dixon of Salt Lake City, and many extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in the vicinity of Salt Lake City. Thoughts and memories and those wishing to be notified of the Celebration can be sent via email: dixon.adventures@gmail.com In his memory, donations can be made to one of any of his favorite non-profit organizations: The University of Utah (please designate either the The Katie L. Dixon Women and Girls Leadership Endowed Fund, or The Rod P. Dixon Philosophy Lectureship or the Ski Team) c/o the Uof U Development Office, 540 Arapeen Drive, Suite 250, SLC, UT 84108-1238 or www.togetherwereach.net or the Jerry S. Dixon Award for Excellence in Environmental Education at the Alaska Conservation Foundation, an award given annually to an outstanding Educator in the field of Environmental Conservation www.alaskaconservation.org.
Deseret News, The (Salt Lake City, UT) - Sunday, September 12, 2010
Jerry was my neighbor through the back yard. we were friends through grade school, junior high and high school. I remember watching him jump from his balcony on a regular basis when he was in grade school. I had no idea it would transfer to a carrier. We always played rough and hard on bicycles and back yard football. In high school he was always pushing me to do my home work and he is the only reason I graduated. After high school we went separate ways keeping track of each other through his sister. We would run into each other randomly and share adventure stories Like Jerry jumping into the Alaskan wilderness to put out a forest fire and then instead of getting out by helicopter he and his crew took 4 days to walk out. The last time I saw him was In REI in 1996, I was on crutches with an external fixator on my leg and a wrist cast due to a bicycle crash ( to fast into a turn in the rain ) We compared broken bone stories, stitches, and scares, He an out door adventurer who was saving the earth me a two wheeled speed kind of guy. He won on the medical front and the adventure front. The things I learned from him and his life style gave me great respect and admiration for the way he attacked life. I have thought about him often through my life, mostly when I was in a tough situation. I am greatly saddened for his passing. A great friend and great man and amazing person, I will always get wet eyes when I think about him.
Barbara Cannon (Gray)
JERRY DIXON
During the past few years, he had lived bravely and fully despite having ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Jerry was born in Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 1948.
"Jerry was a smokejumper, a fire management officer and a fire ecologist for the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service," his family wrote. "He was one of the few jumpers in the history of smokejumping to have survived a double malfunction, when both parachutes fail to open when first deployed. He has also been a Yukon River ranger, a philosopher, a biologist, a wilderness ultra marathoner, a climber, a kayaker, an extreme skier, an avid conservationist, a guide, a writer and a teacher of the gifted, both in the Northwest Arctic and in Seward. He wrote three books, and many articles, too numerous to count.
"He also enjoyed and excelled at starting endowments at most of the non-profits he volunteered for. He started 17 endowment funds; scholarships, achievement awards, university lectureships, conservation internship opportunities, etc., and also raised enough money for Solace International to build a K-12 school in Afghanistan. He was on the Science Advisory Board for the Alaska SeaLife Center, and on boards for many conservation organizations over the years both in Alaska and in Idaho, (and) also the Iditarod Trailblazers in Seward.
His favorite movie during his last six months was 'Arctic Dance,The Mardy Murie Story,' which he watched at least once a week.
"He loved forming friendships with people whose lives were dedicated to conservation, such as Mardy Murie, Celia Hunter, Brina Kessel, Ginny Woods, Ralph Maughan and Nelle Tobias."
In addition, his family said, he loved his wife, Deborah, sons, Kipp and Pyper, family, friends, rivers, mountains, sky, God, country and all things wild and free. "He goes to ski thunderheads beyond the far horizon, and dance like fire upon the mountains."
Jerry is also survived by his brothers, Michael Dixon of Xian, China and Todd Dixon of Albuquerque, N.M.; sister, D'arcy Dixon-Pignanelli of Salt Lake City, Utah; and numerous adored nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jerry's memory to one of the following nonprofit organizations: National Smokejumpers Association, Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, Idaho Conservation League, or the Jerry Dixon Award for Excellence in Environmental Education at the Alaska Conservation Foundation, accessed at alaskaconservation.org/achievement-awards/achievement-award-categories.
"Climb like you have never fallen. Ski like you have never been injured. Jump as though your parachute has always opened. Kayak like you have never had to swim a rapid. Go early, go light, go far. And never, never stop dancing!" - Jerry Dixon
Visit the online memorial at legacy.com
JERRY DIXON
Raymond Fugit
Jerry was my neighbor through the back yard. we were friends through grade school, junior high and high school. I remember watching him jump from his balcony on a regular basis when he was in grade school. I had no idea it would transfer to a carrier. We always played rough and hard on bicycles and back yard football. In high school he was always pushing me to do my home work and he is the only reason I graduated. After high school we went separate ways keeping track of each other through his sister. We would run into each other randomly and share adventure stories Like Jerry jumping into the Alaskan wilderness to put out a forest fire and then instead of getting out by helicopter he and his crew took 4 days to walk out. The last time I saw him was In REI in 1996, I was on crutches with an external fixator on my leg and a wrist cast due to a bicycle crash ( to fast into a turn in the rain ) We compared broken bone stories, stitches, and scares, He an out door adventurer who was saving the earth me a two wheeled speed kind of guy. He won on the medical front and the adventure front. The things I learned from him and his life style gave me great respect and admiration for the way he attacked life. I have thought about him often through my life, mostly when I was in a tough situation. I am greatly saddened for his passing. A great friend and great man and amazing person, I will always get wet eyes when I think about him.