A Century Well Traveled
Elizabeth Dixon – many call her Betty for short – didn’t expect to see her 100th birthday this past August. “I never expected to live this long, nor did anyone else,” she said. Yet at 100, Dixon still proudly proclaims herself as the oldest Oregon Ducks fan...
By Peter Zinn, for The Canby Chronicle
Elizabeth Dixon – many call her Betty for short – didn’t expect to see her 100th birthday this past August. “I never expected to live this long, nor did anyone else,” she said. Yet at 100, Dixon still proudly proclaims herself as the oldest Oregon Ducks fan and the oldest resident of her assisted-living facility.
Dixon was born on August 29, 1926 near Battle Ground, Washington. Her childhood was spent on a 98-acre dairy farm, purchased by her family for $2,500. They eventually moved to Long Beach, Washington as the difficulties of the Great Depression took their toll on the dairy industry. She looked upon the move fondly as she was no longer five miles out from others.
Life in Long Beach gave her more opportunities to be around other children, and she embraced them. She participated in the drama club, glee club, and pep club, and was even the elementary school valedictorian. She got to thrive in her class of approximately 25 kids by participating in extracurriculars and eventually graduating with the Class of 1944. When asked what children would have trouble imagining from her own childhood, Dixon didn’t hesitate. “We didn’t have television, we just had radio.”
World War II brought the larger world directly into Dixon’s early years. The class of 25 shrunk to 15 as many classmates were sent to serve upon reaching 18. In addition to numerous classmates, she also had three brothers, all serving in the military. One served in the Air Force in India, another with the Air Force in England, and the third was in the infantry who went with Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the campaign to retake the Philippines. She also remembers the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked, learning of the attack after morning church service. Those war years also brought happier memories. As a young woman, Dixon fondly recalls attending USO dances where she “jitterbugged” at one of the two nearby military bases.
Of all the people who shaped Dixon’s life, she credits her mother as the greatest influence. Dixon described herself as “very close with my mother,” a relationship that never diminished, even into her mother’s later years. When Dixon wasn’t satisfied with her mother’s assisted living arrangement, she made her own plans and brought her home to live with her. She cared for her for several months while searching for a place that met her high standards for her mother. Her kids also had a tremendous impact on her. She was quick to say that what she was most proud of in her life was her kids.
Travel was also a major part of Dixon’s life. She visited 14 countries and struggled to name a single favorite sight, having visited the Statue of David in Italy, the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, and the Colosseum in Rome. One sight that stood out was found while performing with a choir in Coventry after the war. A wall was damaged by a bombing with the words, “Forgive Them,” painted across the wreckage. When asked what advice she would give her 20-year-old self, Dixon had a simple answer: “Learn to be more tolerant of other people.”
At 100, Betty Dixon was asked, if she could close her eyes and open them somewhere else, where would she go back to? She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. When she opened them, she had a smile on her face. “I loved England.” Italy came next, with Florence holding a particularly fond place in her memories. After a century of life, Dixon still had places and times she wanted to revisit.
