COL RALPH P. DIXON, JR To TAPS

COL RALPH P. DIXON, JR passed away 11/9/2015 at 11:50 AM

Obituary of

Colonel Ralph Parker Dixon Jr., USA, Retired

Colonel Ralph Parker Dixon Jr., USA, Retired, 88, of Indianapolis, passed away on November 9 at Allisonville Meadows, Fishers. Born on January 2, 1927, in Dayton, Ohio, he was the son of the late Ralph Parker Dixon Sr. and Helen Gertrude Rairdon Dixon.

Colonel Dixon spent the early years of his life in Dayton and St. Bernard, Ohio. He graduated from Hughes High School, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1945. He met Janet Marie Allgaier in October 1948 while both were students at the University of Cincinnati. They were married on December 28, 1949.

Colonel Dixon served his country in three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1945 and was stationed in Germany until November 1946, when he was honorably discharged. Following graduation from the University of Cincinnati in June 1949, where he earned a degree in Business Administration in half the usual time, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Artillery. He went to Korea in August 1950, where he was twice wounded in action and became a prisoner of war (POW) on April 21, 1951. He spent 29 months in POW camps in North Korea. After his release on September 4, 1953, he transferred to the Finance Corps. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University in 1956 and a diploma from the Army’s Command and General Staff College in 1964. He served in several Finance and Accounting offices at Ft. Sheridan, IL, Gravely Point, VA, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, IN, and Ft. Richardson, AK, before going to Vietnam in 1969. He returned to Ft. Benjamin Harrison in 1970 and was promoted to Colonel on September 4, the seventeenth anniversary of his release from a North Korean POW camp.

In 1970, Colonel Dixon was assigned as the Assistant to the Commanding Officer for Resources Management. In 1971 he was named Comptroller, and in August 1974, he was named Deputy Commander for Operations, United States Army Finance and Accounting Center. He was known unofficially as the Mayor of the Finance Center. He retired on September 30, 1981, with 34 years, 11 months of service. At the time he was believed to be the last Korean War POW still on active duty.

Colonel Dixon was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal (Germany), the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnam (South) Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Army Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon, in addition to numerous campaign ribbons for service in Korea and Vietnam.

When he returned from Vietnam, Colonel Dixon joined his sons who were involved in the Boy Scouts of America. For two decades he was active in scouting, serving at pack, troop, district, and council levels. In 2008, he received the Silver Beaver Award for Distinguished Service to the Crossroads of America Council.

Colonel Dixon was a member of the Lawrence United Methodist Church for many years where he served on the Church Council, founded the Endowment Fund, and was active in the Nealites. He was a member of the Society of Retired Army Finance Officers, the Military Officers Association of American, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Golden Eagles, Millersville Masonic Lodge #126, and Lawrence Senior Citizens.

Colonel Dixon is survived by his sons, Ralph Parker Dixon III (Cheryl) and Kirk Edward Dixon (Marilene) of Fishers, his daughter Janet Lee Dixon Nordone (Manny) of Greenfield; granddaughters Ashley Dixon Pesek (David) of Alexandria, VA; Danielle Dixon Hacker (Brian) of Fishers; Samantha Dixon Akers (Tyler) of Fishers; grandson Christopher Parker Dixon (Clara) of Stamford, CT; and great grandchildren Luke Parker Dixon, Timothy Clark Dixon, Lincoln Cole Hacker, and Juris Raymond Pesek. Ralph is also survived by his sister, Rae Elinor Dixon Bienfait, of Heemstede, The Netherlands; nephews Jean Louis “Buddy” Bienfait-Gravesteijn (Marie-Louise) of Haarlem, The Netherlands, and Michael David Bienfait (Robin) of Norcross, GA; nieces Hélène Middeldorp-Bienfait (Eddy), of Den Haag, The Netherlands, and Susan Lindeman-Bienfait (Olivier) of Aerdenhout, The Netherlands; and many extended family and friends.

Colonel Dixon was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Parker Dixon Sr. and Helen Gertrude Rairdon Dixon; his wife and mother of his children, Janet Marie Allgaier Dixon; his wife Edith Moore Jessup Dixon; his sister, Jean Carolyn Dixon; and his daughter-in-law Vija   Jansons Dixon.

The funeral service with military honors will be held at Lawrence United Methodist Church, 5200 N. Shadeland Ave., Lawrence, on Friday, November 13 at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive visitors at Flanner and Buchanan, 10722 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, between 3 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 12. Interment will be at Spring Grove Cemetery, 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, on Saturday, November 14, at noon.

Flanner and Buchanan, Washington Park East, is handling funeral arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Still Waters Adult Day Center, 7160 Shadeland Station, Indianapolis, IN 46256, or Lawrence United Methodist Church Endowment Fund, 5200 North Shadeland Avenue, Lawrence, IN 46226.

The family can be contacted via his daughter:

Janet Dixon and Family
7804 W. Shadow Creek Way
Greenfield IN 46140