Pat Dixon, age 76, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother was suddenly and so abruptly taken from us Friday morning Dec. 31st due to extensive brain hemorrhaging. Patricia was born in Ogden May 6, 1934 to Armond and Ireta Coles. She graduated from East High School, attended both BYU and the University of Utah and grew up in the family's Sugarhouse Floral business. Pat was an accomplished floral designer, able to recite the names of virtually all the world's most beautiful flowers. She was an award winning seamstress and an excellent dancer beginning in the 1940s as one of Fairmont Park's "Ten Pretty Girls". She made her own prom dresses and danced to the big bands at the Avalon, Rainbow Rendezvous, Lagoon, Saltaire, and Terrace. As a mature lady she performed with the "clogging grandmas". Just this past month Pat was honored with her dancing partner/husband of the past 27 years, Rich Dixon in the "Life Dancing" project of the Alzheimer's Association. She kept in physical shape by bicycle riding and swimming. She will especially be missed at the Holladay Lion's Fitness Pool. Pat was married to her first husband Joseph Robert Slater September 14, 1955 until his passing in 1982. With Bob she raised three sons and two daughters who survive her: Coles (Lisa), Colelyn (Alan Blakely), Shaun (Marlene), Steve, and Susann (Russ Litson). She is stepmother to the four Dixon sons, Mark (Patty), Steve (Lisa), Brent (Kirsten) and Scott and 32 grandchildren and three great grandchildren who also survive her. She is loved dearly by all. Pat and Richard T. Dixon had both been single for two years until the Granite High bunch played cupid and they got together. There was a whirlwind courtship! On December 10, 1983 they married, moving into Pat's San Diego home near the ocean. Pat and Dick were both natives of Utah; they made the decision to return in 1988, this time to Dick's former residence in Sandy. Later they moved to their present home located in East Mill Creek. Throughout her life, Pat served faithfully in LDS Church callings wherever she lived including Mississippi, California, Texas, and Utah. Six of their children served fulltime Church missions At 5:30 Monday evening, January 3, 2011 and continuing until 7:30, there will be a viewing at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive. There will also be a viewing the day of the funeral Tuesday from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. at the LDS Ward chapel located at 2245 East 3900 South where the funeral service will begin at 12 Noon. A graveside service follows at the burial site at Wasatch Lawn.


Published in Deseret News from January 2 to January 3, 2011