Thomas Marshall Dixon

Thomas Marshall Dixon, at age 98, peacefully went home to his Lord on August 4, 2025, from his home near Leon, Kansas. Born April 21, 1927, the son of William G. and Vivian (Marshall) Dixon of rural Leon, he attended nearby Quito School, a 1-room country school. He graduated from Leon High School in 1945, from El Dorado Junior College in 1949, and from Kansas State University in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering. Tom served in the U.S. army during WWII in Frankfort, Germany until his discharge November 9, 1946. He then farmed with his brother, Bob, and his father.

He married Marjorie (Ruckert) on June 1, 1952. They raised four daughters. During their married life they lived in Salina, Gypsum, Seneca, Eureka, Howard, and Leon, Kansas. Their love story spanned over 73 years.

Tom's early career in the Soil Conservation Service was marked by laying out and overseeing construction of "The Ditch" in Garden City. Thereafter, he primarily engineered, designed and managed watershed projects in Greenwood and Elk counties, including the flood retention dams on the Fall River and Elk River watersheds. Ongoing during his professional career, he and his wife continued to farm. Tom was one of the first in Butler County to reintroduce corn as a crop. After 30 years with the Soil Conservation Service, Tom retired in 1982. He and Marjorie built an innovative underground house on the farm. He was keen to engage alternative energy sources and utilized a wood-burning fireplace as the sole source of heat until his 92nd year.

A licensed engineer in the State of Kansas, he served on the Walnut Basin Advisory Committee, the board of Little Walnut Hickory Watershed, and the board of Butler County Farm Bureau. He was instrumental in the reestablishment of the wild turkey in Butler County. He enjoyed hunting with family and friends and for over 50 years led family vacations to the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Tom was quietly passionate about his devotion to the Lord, serving in various churches as deacon, Sunday School teacher, and elder. As a member of Gideon's International, he enjoyed distributing Bibles and ministering to those in jails, and did this into his 90's.

One of Tom's most notable characteristics was his unfailing positive outlook, identifying good in every situation. He infused his daughters with a desire to know and trust God, a love of beauty in nature, an awe of the grandeur of thunderstorms, and a spirit of adventure. He was a lifelong learner, reading voraciously both for information and for pleasure.

Tom is survived by his wife, Marjorie; daughters, Diane (Dan) Hintz of California, Carol (Mark) Brinton of Arizona, Susan (Tom) Graham of Leon, Kansas, and Joyce (Jon) Hanner of Pennsylvania; grandchildren, Nate (Gabriella) and Joel (Caroline) Hintz, Jon (Candice) Brinton, Amanda (Seth) Lickteig, Tom (Aubrey) Graham, Jennifer (Ian) Toomey and, Jessica (Jason) Goodwin; great grandchildren, Ava and Ryan, Noah and Milo, Curtis, Ellen, Jaxon and Theodore, and Edison; brother-in-law, Hank (Vivian) Ruckert; sister-in-law, Ann Carr-Dixon; cousin, Charles Dixon; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Will and Vivian Dixon; brother, Bob Dixon; sisters, Dorothea Osborne and Caroline Mickel; brothers-in-law, Bill Osborne, Vernon Burlison, and Blanchard Mickel; and sisters-in-law, Jody Dixon and Roberta "Bobbie" Burlison.

Services will be held at the Leon Christian Church on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Quito Cemetery, Leon, KS. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Leon Christian Church, 101 N Main St. Leon, KS 67074 or to Gideon's International, P.O. Box 652 El Dorado, KS 67042.