Dixie Louise Schirm
July 9, 1921 — January 18, 2017
Dixie Louise Schirm was born in Defiance, Iowa, on July 9, 1921, to the parents of Peter C. And Viola (Falk) Kjeldgaard. She attended Irwin High School and graduated with the class of 1939. Dixie continued her education at Iowa Beauty School and graduated with the class of 1942. She was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church in Walnut, Iowa.
Dixie met Albert “Al” Schirm of Adair, Iowa, and was married on July 24, 1943, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in New York City, New York. To this union three children were born: Cindy, Neal and Nancy. Dixie and Al also embraced AFS Student Conchi Casamitjana as a part of their family.
Dixie started her work career at the Morris Beauty Shop on Broadway in New York City. Al was a member of the United States Coast Guard and was deployed to Alaska. This resulted in Dixie’s move to Adair where she opened her own beauty salon “Dixie’s Beauty Shop”. In 1946, Al and Dixie started Schirm Produce in Walnut.
In her spare time when not working or raising children, Dixie enjoyed being an avid knitter, reading, entertaining family and friends, giving Red Cross swimming lessons, and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a member of the Eastern Star in Marne, Iowa, The Red Hat Society and held many offices with her church. Dixie and Albert spent eighteen years wintering in McAllen, Texas.
Dixie died surrounded by family on Wednesday, January 18, 2017, having attained the age of ninety - five years, six months, and nine days. She is preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister who died at birth, and son-in-law Dale Young.
She is survived by her husband of 73 years Albert Schirm of Avoca; daughter Cindy Young of Mission Viejo, California; son Neal Schirm and his wife Pam of Avoca, Iowa; daughter Nancy and her husband Jeff Blum of Blair, Nebraska; AFS student Conchi and her husband Phil Madson of Cincinnati, Ohio; six grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; sister Ellen Mattox- Meisel of Orange City, Florida; other family and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Walnut Public Library in Dixie's memory.
Dixie met Albert “Al” Schirm of Adair, Iowa, and was married on July 24, 1943, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in New York City, New York. To this union three children were born: Cindy, Neal and Nancy. Dixie and Al also embraced AFS Student Conchi Casamitjana as a part of their family.
Dixie started her work career at the Morris Beauty Shop on Broadway in New York City. Al was a member of the United States Coast Guard and was deployed to Alaska. This resulted in Dixie’s move to Adair where she opened her own beauty salon “Dixie’s Beauty Shop”. In 1946, Al and Dixie started Schirm Produce in Walnut.
In her spare time when not working or raising children, Dixie enjoyed being an avid knitter, reading, entertaining family and friends, giving Red Cross swimming lessons, and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a member of the Eastern Star in Marne, Iowa, The Red Hat Society and held many offices with her church. Dixie and Albert spent eighteen years wintering in McAllen, Texas.
Dixie died surrounded by family on Wednesday, January 18, 2017, having attained the age of ninety - five years, six months, and nine days. She is preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister who died at birth, and son-in-law Dale Young.
She is survived by her husband of 73 years Albert Schirm of Avoca; daughter Cindy Young of Mission Viejo, California; son Neal Schirm and his wife Pam of Avoca, Iowa; daughter Nancy and her husband Jeff Blum of Blair, Nebraska; AFS student Conchi and her husband Phil Madson of Cincinnati, Ohio; six grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; sister Ellen Mattox- Meisel of Orange City, Florida; other family and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Walnut Public Library in Dixie's memory.
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