December 26, 1961-June 14, 2020
Jeffrey West Dixon, beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin and friend, passed away at the age of 58.
Born in Los Angeles, California to Lloyd A. Dixon Jr. and Susan Smiley Dixon Hamlin, Jeff attended San Marino schools, including Valentine, Huntington and San Marino High School. An accomplished student athlete, Jeff played on both the basketball and volleyball teams. In 1980, Jeff was Captain and MVP of the Varsity Basketball team, which won the Rio Hondo League Championship that year. He graduated from UCLA in 1984 with a BA in Economics and a Minor in Systems Science. He was affiliated with the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and inducted into the Blue Key Honor Society. Jeff later earned an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California, where he was Chairman of the USC MBA Challenge for Charity benefiting Special Olympics and was also awarded the Albert T. Quon Community Service Award.
His professional career started with IBM in Systems Engineering and Marketing/Sales in Santa Barbara. He went on to join and eventually become President of DKM, Inc., a software consulting firm. Over the years, Jeff received many awards and accolades for his achievements.
While attending graduate school at USC, Jeff met his future wife, Liz. After they married, they settled in San Marino where they raised their boys, William and James, and hosted many happy gatherings. Jeff’s greatest joy was his family. He was proud of their accomplishments and shared with them his love of the outdoors as well as youth, collegiate and professional sports.
He supported his sons’ athletic and extra-curricular endeavors, serving as coach and/or mentor to them and others in various youth programs (SMCAA, SMNLL, YMCA, AYSO & Cub Scouts). Jeff was also an enthusiastic Bruins football and basketball fan and member of UCLA’s Order of the Blue Shield.
Jeff was an avid and talented fisherman, golfer, tennis player and skier. In his youth, his father and grandfather had helped him master the art of fly fishing, and he continued to pursue this activity later in life whenever possible. Additionally, Jeff had a remarkable group of friends, including many lifelong friends, and enjoyed the camaraderie of playing various sports with others. Over the years, he also organized several fun family ski trips. Above all, Jeff was gregarious and thrived in the presence of family, friends and co-workers.
At Church of Our Saviour in San Gabriel, Jeff was a long-time parishioner and for many years served on the Vestry, Men’s Guild, and Our Saviour Center Board (for a nonprofit entity based in El Monte). For the past decade, the Dixon family has been active at St. Edmund’s Church in San Marino.
In addition, Jeff participated in several other community organizations, serving on the Boards of the S.M. Community Athletics Association (he was the founding Basketball President in 2006), S.M. Schools Foundation (Associate Trustee and VP of Special Projects), S.M. City Club (Communications), S.M. Tennis Foundation (Adult Programs/Tournaments), and Flintridge Prep Father’s Club (PrepExchange/Young Alumni Summer Internship Program). Jeff was admired by many for his sense of humor and work ethic.
Jeff is survived by his loving wife, Liz, sons William and James, sister Leslie Dixon of Mill Valley, brother Lloyd and sister-in-law Elizabeth Dixon of Culver City, step-siblings Greg & Karen Hamlin of Arcadia and Ryan & Sarah Hamlin of South Pasadena, nephews Samuel Dixon and Wesley Dixon, niece Katharine Owen, uncle Craig Dixon of Westwood, and many, many other family and friends who will miss his boisterous laugh, his joyful energy and his kind and generous spirit.
Jeff was preceded in death by both of his parents and his step-father Richard P. Hamlin.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations in Jeff’s memory be made to Western Rivers Conservancy (secure.westernrivers.org/donate) or The UCLA Foundation – Depression Grand Challenge (www.giving.ucla.edu/Dixon). A memorial service will be held at a future date.
