Gene Dixon Sr.

OLMSTED, Ill. -- Dewey Gene Dixon Sr., 80, of Olmsted, formerly of Mounds, Ill., passed away Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis, Ill.

He was born Aug. 15, 1931, at La Center, Ky., son of Orville and Lurlene Purcell Dixon.

Gene was a member of Caledonia Community Church in Olmsted, Kim Shrine Club in Cairo, Ill., Caledonia Masonic Lodge 47 AF/AM in Olive Branch, Ill., member and past president of Illinois Sheriffs Association, past commander and lifetime member of Pulaski County Memorial VFW Post 8891 in Mounds.

He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict.

Gene served as Pulaski County sheriff 12 years. He began his law enforcement career in 1959, serving as a deputy with the sheriff's department, later serving as chief of police in Mounds, Mound City and the village of Olmsted. He was a former mayor of Mounds, member of Southern Five Board, Pulaski County Housing Board, Village Board of Olmsted, the original VFW Burial Ritual Team, Pulaski County Development Board, American Legion Post 178 of Villa Ridge, Ill., and a member of the Sidez Board.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Emma Dixon, on Aug. 14, 1999; and a sister, Sue Benjamin.

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Burd Dixon of Olmsted; two daughters, Jeannie (Terry) Curry of Villa Ridge, Paula Britton (Russ Polley) of Olmsted; a son, Dr. Dewey G. Dixon Jr. (Stephanie) of Mounds; a stepdaughter, Jodi (Jeff) Palmer of Anna, Ill.; a stepson, Greg (Terri) George of Cobden, Ill.; six grandchildren, Terry J. Curry, Bryan (Linda) Curry, Tyler and Brady Dixon, Jason (Nikki) Wissinger, Will (Amy) Britton; 12 great-grandchildren, Wyatt Curry, Conner and Haley Wissinger, Cloey and Landen Curry, Jerron Goins, Tristan Dillow, Ethan and Alex Palmer, and Lauren, Garrett and Macie George.

Also six sisters, Ellie Richardson of Livonia, Mich., Betty (Joe) Summers of Wickliffe, Ky., Jane Chapman, Freota (Kenneth) King, Vicki (Rob) Phillips, Rachel (Michael) Koker, all of Jackson, Mich.; three brothers, Charles (Robin) Dixon of Jackson, Mich., Bruce (Marcia) Dixon of Franklin, Tenn., Michael (Roberta) Dixon of Jackson, Mich.; brothers-in-law, Darrell (Karen) Burd and family of Columbia, Ill., Marlin (Terri) Burd and family of Anna; numerous aunts; uncles; other relatives and many friends.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. today at Caledonia Community Church, with a law enforcement walk through at 6:45 followed by a Shriners walk through, and a Masonic service at 7 by members of Caledonia Lodge. Friends may also call from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the church.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Revs. Tom Bridges, Buddy Walls and John Windings officiating. Interment will be in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens at Villa Ridge, with full military honors by Illinois National Guard Burial Team and area veterans.

Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge is in charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of memorials to Shawnee College Criminal Justice Program, Caledonia Community Church, Pulaski County Memorial VFW Post 8891 or to donor's choice in memory of Gene Dixon.