William Edge Dixon, 1918-2015

William Edge Dixon, beloved husband of Margaret (Leonard) Dixon, died peacefully at home as the sun set on Nov. 5, which was his ninety-seventh birthday. Margaret and other family members added grace to his passing by singing hymns to him throughout the day. Edge spent his life in service to others, first as a Navy officer and then a Methodist minister for 38 years, 21 of which were spent serving the Worthington United Methodist Church. He was a soft-spoken, humble man with an unshakable faith in God and he was kind to everyone. He loved his family, his friends and all dogs. Edge also loved sweets, especially chocolate, and lived the motto, "Life is short. Eat dessert first." He was born on a small farm near Cairo, GA, the son of William Lafayette Dixon and Francis (Edge) Dixon. He spent his summers picking cotton, corn and harvesting peanuts, always accompanied by his beloved Collie dog and then later, a loyal mixed breed named Max. Edge graduated from Cairo High School at age 15 and then attended Georgia Southwest Junior College in 1934 at the depths of the Depression. It took him four years to graduate, working every other year to save enough to return to campus. After graduating, he worked another two years for the $500 tuition fee at the University of Georgia, where he enrolled in 1940 to study accounting. He graduated in 1942 with honors, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration. During his senior year at Georgia, he was offered a commission to the U. S. Navy's Supply Corps School at Harvard University. Edge's first duty station was on Cockspur Island near Savannah, GA. He was selected for further Navy accounting training at Harvard Business School in Boston, where he met the first love of his life, Ruth Wohr. They dated long-distance while he served almost two years in Key West and Miami, FL at the District Supply/Accounting Offices. During this time, he decided to enter the Methodist ministry upon his Naval discharge and to marry Ruth. They were married in Boston June 8, 1946 and then relocated to Evanston, IL where Edge earned a Master of Divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary while Ruth attended Northwestern University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. They returned to Boston after Edge was accepted into Boston University to pursue a doctorate in social ethics. He earned his Ph.D. in 1955, along with classmate Martin Luther King, Jr. Edge and Ruth served three area churches during that time at Allston, Newton and Harvard-Epworth and celebrated the births of their three beloved children: Donald, Janet and Jean. In 1958, Edge transferred to the Ohio Conference and became the Senior Minister at the Methodist Church in Bowling Green, Ohio. Seven years later, he accepted the final appointment of his ministry at Worthington United Methodist Church where he and Ruth spent the next 21 years, retiring in 1987. During his retirement years, Edge enjoyed vegetable gardening, playing golf and vacationing with Ruth, with frequent visits to their children and grandchildren. Ruth was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 1991 and passed away in January 1995. In 2000, Edge moved to Friendship Village of Columbus where he met the second love of his life, Margaret Leonard. They were married in the spring of 2001 and both refer to the last 14 years as some of the happiest of their lives. They enjoyed traveling, playing bridge and visiting family, all the while holding hands and laughing often. Margaret's six sons and their families welcomed Edge as one of their own and he delighted in their mutual affection. Edge was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Ruth Wohr Dixon, and also by his longtime best friend Carl C. Nourse of Worthington, who died on Sept. 5, 2015. Surviving him is his wife, Margaret (Leonard) Dixon; his son, Dr. Don Dixon (Joanne); and daughters, Janet Dixon-Metcalf (Bob) and Jean Dixon (Jeffrey Underwood). He has four grandchildren: Jeffrey, Patrick and Kate Dixon (Don's children) and Jessica Aikin (Jean's daughter). He was the proud great-grandfather of Patrick's son, William Lawrence ("Billy") who was named after Edge. He is also survived by Margaret's sons, Jim (Melody), John (Leigh Ann), Donald (Jane), Rick (Ruth), Larry and Scott (Sangita) Leonard and by her 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, all of whom called him Grandpa Edge. A celebration of Edge's life will be held at the Worthington United Methodist Church, 600 High Street in Worthington, OH at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. A visitation and sweets will follow the service in the church's Dixon Lounge. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made locally to Community Meals at Worthington United Methodist or globally to United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Arrangements by RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, 515 High St., Worthington, OH 43085.