Lydia Lynn Dixon

Lydia Lynn (Sphar) Dixon, 77, of Champaign passed away peacefully at Bickford Cottage, Champaign on Thursday, May 26, 2022 after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Lydia was born October 26, 1944 in Champaign, IL. to George Dewey and Wilma Helene (Webb) Sphar (deceased). She married her loving husband James Dixon of 59 years on May 19, 1963. She has one sibling Roger Sphar of Mahomet who still survives.

She is survived by her husband and children, Davonne (Eric) Porter, Kevin (Angela) Dixon and Peter (Andrea) Dixon. She is also survived by her grandchildren Blake (Hilary) Porter, Bailie (Logan) Moore, Rhiannon Adams, Kara Dixon, Justin Dixon and Zachary (Daisy) Dixon plus 2 great grandchildren Arlo Porter and Maverick Porter.

She graduated from Champaign High School (now Central) in 1962 and in her younger years worked for Illinois Bell and Sears where she met James. She spent her young adult years caring for her 3 children and eventually worked for about 10 years at The News Gazette in the Ad Services Department. When grandchildren began to arrive, she promptly took over their care during the work week. She added several other children to her fun and well managed home. Many trips were made to the Champaign Public Library Bookmobile with all the little ones in tow to encourage a love of reading!

She was always interested in trying new things and took on playing recreational volleyball, guitar and violin lessons. She absolutely loved anything to do with water and she swam both at the YMCA and Park District pools and enjoyed water skiing. She was an avid gardener both in growing produce and flowers, often doing lovely floral arrangements from her garden and canning or freezing produce for the winter months. She was a fabulous cook and baker. She and her husband had a passion for listening to music together and loved attending musical events. The most important thing to Lydia by far though was her faith. She accepted Jesus as her Savior at age 17 and never looked back, living out her beliefs by action in serving others at her home church of Stratford Park Bible Chapel in many areas over the years. Hospitality was especially close to her heart and she and her husband loved entertaining newcomers to the church.

A public visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 8 from 10am – 12pm, followed by a celebration of Lydia’s life at noon. Both will be held at Stratford Park Bible Chapel located at 2801 W. Kirby, Champaign. Graveside services immediately to follow at Grandview Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial donation to Stratford Park Bible Chapel.

Condolences may be offered at www.morganmemorialhome.com.