Dixie Lou Taylor Kennington

Dixie Lou Kennington passed from this life on November 10, 2009, after a valiant battle with cancer. In both her life and her death she explempified her families' motto: The Lord Can Depend On Me. Dixie was the mother of 8 children, four daughters, Amber Jerod Johnson of Grass Valley, California, Monica Aaron Sessions of Paso Robles, California, Marci Joe McAllister of Salt Lake City, Utah, Kayla David Stock of Logan, Utah, and four sons, Kade Shelli Kennington of Kaysville, Utah, Devan Meagan Kennington of Omaha, Nebraska, Ladd Kelli Kennington of Logan, Utah, and Todd Kennington of Idaho Falls, Idaho; as well as sixteen grandchildren whom she had showered with praise, joyful moments and unconditional love. Perhaps her greatest achievement was showing each of them just how special they are and convincing each and every one that they were her favorite. Dixie was born May 3, 1949 in Loma Linda, California and grew up in Star Valley, Wyoming where she graduated from Star Valley High School and met her eternal sweetheart Jim Kennington. Jim and Dixie were married in the Idaho Falls, Idaho Temple in 1968 and spent the next 41 years together building a life that exemplified faith, commitment and hard work. By her own account, Dixie had "dedicated her life to her children," and found her greatest joy in their successes and her greatest pride in the strength of their individual faith and character. For her efforts with them, Dixie was awarded the Young-Mother-of-the-Year award in 1983 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and a liftime of adoration from each. By both choice and necessity, Dixie was a homemaker extraordinaire. She had learned an incredible work ethic as a child while working in hunting camps, bee camps and at the Lazy B Motel in Afton Wyoming; and later as a mother she worked tirelessly sewing, cooking, cleaning, canning, doing yard work and decorating to make her humble home a warm and inviting place where her family could always find respite from the world. She was always ready with a word of encouragement or a treat for them when they needed it and never missed an opportunity to praise and love her children and grandchildren. Speaking of her industriousness and love, Venna Barrus mother-in-law said that "she was as perfect a mother as there can be in this life." Dixie is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and truly loved the Lord. She found great joy in dedicating her time and talents to serve in the church, and served faithfully in many callings throughout her life. Her steadfast commitment to the gospel and desire to always do what is right has been the guiding principle of her families' life and will always serve as a lasting legacy for her posterity. After she had raised her own eight children through the bumps, bruises and illness of their own childhoods, she was trained as a medical assistant and shared her kindness, empathy and unique qualifications with the patients and staff at the Budge Pediatrics Clinic, where she not only loved her work but her co-workers as well. Above all, Dixie lived her life to the fullest, practiced her faith with conviction and did her best to become the person she was meant to be. Along the way, she blessed many lives and will be missed by each one of them. We will miss you dove. Dixie's family would like to thank all those who have helped with her care and treatment: Barbara Combs, Lisa Ashment, Venna Barrus, Don Kennington, Karen Perry, the Kennington and Taylor families, the Beaver Dam Ward and the many special friends and neighbors who have been so kind and generous in this difficult time. The family invites all to attend services in Dixie's honor to be held at the Beaver Dam LDS church on Saturday November 14, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Viewings will be held Friday evening at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North, Logan from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will follow at 3:30 p.m. in the Fairview Wyoming Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .