David Ralph Dixon
May 19, 1942 — May 21, 2024
David Ralph Dixon died peacefully on May 21, 2024. He was 82 years old. His beloved wife Gloria and his four children were with him the last week of his life: sharing memories, singing folk songs, sitting together quietly at his side, celebrating a life so well lived.
David (Dave) was born in Ogden, Utah on May 19, 1942. He was third in a family of ten children. His father, Ralph Dixon, was a railroad switchman and owned his own janitorial business, instilling in Dave a strong work ethic from a young age. His mother, Myrtle Dixon, was a writer and filled the home with stories and poetry. His parents’ dedication to their family shaped the way Dave moved through his life. He valued hard work, ingenuity, entrepreneurship, perseverance, and was drawn to culture and beauty in all mediums.
As a child, Dave had a brilliant mind and more energy than school could contain. He was a wild teenager, eventually dropping out of high school and hitchhiking from Utah to California with a change of clothes and a Martin 4-string guitar. He made it to San Jose where he met the love of his life, Gloria Mary Mangano. After a whirlwind courtship they married in Reno, Nevada on May 13, 1962. Gloria was the catalyst for change in Dave’s life. He got a job in a machine shop and started taking classes at San Jose Community College. This led to further degrees at Weber State University and Wayne State University.
Dave’s professional career was impressive. His education and experience in JIT manufacturing, engineering, and executive leadership allowed him opportunities in world class companies including Ford Motor Company, John Deere, and General Electric. He started a consulting firm, Technical Change Associates, that thrived for over twenty years, enabling smaller metal shops, like the one he worked at in San Jose, to be more competitive. He always remembered his beginnings and wanted to give others the same chance to succeed.
Dave was curious and passionate. He loved to be outdoors fishing, hiking, or biking. He built model airplanes, furniture, duck decoys, and toy helicopters with spinning propellers. When he visited museums, he read every word of every plaque. He could recite the timeline for the Civil War and every chief of the Comanche Nation. He played guitar in a bluegrass band and sang in a whisky tenor. He read voraciously to catch up on the literature he missed as a kid, poring over old and new classics. His fondest memories were eating bagels and listening to mysteries as he and Gloria went on long drives through the mountains. He debated politics, quoted song lyrics, ran marathons, and cried in movies.
Most of all, Dave enjoyed people. He talked to everyone, asking questions, swapping stories. As he and Gloria moved around the country, they made friends wherever they lived. He gave rides to people who needed one, tutored little kids in reading, and wrote letters to a young man in prison. He was a fierce ally to his LGBTQ+ family members. Any issue that came up, Dave would roll up his sleeves and offer to “project manage” the situation. He was happiest spending time with his kids and his grandkids, making them laugh, making them think, making sure they took nothing in life for granted.
Dave is survived by his wife of 62 years and his children Pandora Brewer (Mark Brewer), Terra Bowles (Dominique Waldau), Dana Jensen (Chris Burcham), and Jeffrey Dixon (Amy Dixon). Dave and Gloria have nine grandchildren. Dave will be cremated and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary.
In honor of Dave’s commitment to helping others, please consider a donation to his chosen food bank in lieu of flowers. Driving by the lines of people waiting each week, he was moved and inspired by this scrappy, grassroots organization in his own community. Here is a video describing their mission and here is the Venmo account to contribute: @tricityexchange.
Condolences may be shared at: www.lindquistmortuary.com.