George and Della Dixon were very nice people. In fact, the whole family was nice. I've never met a Dixon or Thacker, or any other descendant, who wasn't basically a nice person.
If you disagree, let's agree not to name names, OK?
Della was very prim and proper. Very reserved. Look up "thrifty" in the dictionary and you'll find her picture. There are many tales of her exploits in making use of every last bit or morsel of any food substance. She had some opinions, but wasn't really opinionated. I never heard her raise her voice, although she always managed the three of us boys when we stayed overnight. I can't go an hour without raising my voice with Elliot, and he is the perfect grandchild (and fairly sensitive). Zach is still exempt from my outbursts, but he hasn't learned to crawl yet. Physically, she was always very thin in a healthy way, but I never saw her exercise in the modern sense of the word. She just nibbled at meal time.
She doted on my grandfather.
George was also very nice. Extremely quiet. A little hard of hearing. Jovial... always smiling. He loved to eat, and was a little plump, but not extremely obese. He also never seemed to exercise. He had beautiful, wispy, white hair. He always wore suspenders, and not as a fashion statement. He was very soft-spoken, and didn't talk all that much. He was happy to let my grandmother take the lead in most things. She always drove, for example. He worked at Delco-Remy, but I never really knew what he did there.
And he loved a good nap. A Dixon trait that continues in many branches today. Especially among the male offspring. No need for a bed. He could doze in the middle of a conversation if it got a little slow and there were too many people in the room.
They raised 4 of the nicest kids. Honestly. Then they married very nice people.
And all of my cousins were always nice to me when we got together. I don't believe I ever saw a fight between cousins at a family gathering, despite the fact that there were 11 boys and only two girl cousins.
I don't know all of the next generation, but it seems like they are following the family trend. Just really, really nice people. No joke!
1 comment:
My grandparents didn't like to travel much. They didn't really like to go out much, for that matter. They spent a lot of time together, especially after my grandfather retired.
My dad told my mom that when the kids were young, his dad George would occasionally walk down to a nearby bar... to play euchre. He may have had a beer or so, but he really went to play euchre and talk with they guys. Dad said that if Pop won, he would bring candy home for all the kids!
I remember my parents and the other kids trying to convince George and Della to take a vacation. They finally talked them into going to Florida one time, and then my granfather had a gall bladder attack in Florida and they came back home. That apparently was the last vacation.
Trips to Spencer to see Aunt Wilma and Uncle Warren and the boys were their only trips for many years.
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