Frederick Dixon

Frederick “Fred” Wade Dixon passed away at the age of 67 in Valdosta, GA on October 26, 2025. Fred was born on May 28, 1958, in Del Rio, Texas, and grew up in Jacksonville, FL. He later moved to Leesburg, GA and graduated from Lee County High School in 1976. He remained in Albany for many years where his children were born and raised. While there, he worked for McGregor Golf and, among other various business endeavors, owned several Thrifty Car Rental locations. He lived the rest of his life in Valdosta, GA, where he spent several years at Langdale Ford.

Fred had a larger-than-life personality and never met a stranger. He was the very embodiment of joie de vivre—radiant, magnetic, and full of charm. His charisma could shine through a grand romantic gesture just as easily as it could in the subtle lift of an eyebrow.

He had a gravitational pull and could sell a person wearing white gloves a ketchup popsicle. His real magic was that he could also make them feel good about their newly acquired stains.

One of his principal goals in life was to get you to share a laugh with him— not just a quick, light laugh or giggle, but the kind of laugh that left you both gasping for breath, wondering if you would survive. His laugh was more contagious than COVID.

He saw most rules as something to be broken, usually in a spirit of childlike mischief and jest. When confronted with stiffness or stuffiness in social settings, he would belt out some wildly inappropriate remark or make some ridiculous movement with his giant body to shatter the iciness. While these stunts were usually initially met with some combination of confusion, shock, and the embarrassment of whoever happened to accompany him, it ultimately led to laughter and a sense of ease and levity in everyone present. He wanted everyone to feel better. “Lighten up!” he’d often say.

For all his levity, he was also incredibly thoughtful, spiritual, and emotional. He was a romantic and gentle giant who fiercely loved his family and friends.

His fondest childhood memories included family visits to Florida where he explored the meandering and preternaturally clear waters of Crystal River— the “Home of the Manatee”— with his siblings, Loretta Gahman and Eddie Dixon, and his cousins, Rodney, Rick, and Aunt Anne Levins. Later in life, he lived for Potluck Thanksgiving dinners and family reunions in Bainbridge and Macon.

Fred was extraordinarily nonjudgmental. You could always count on him to meet you where you were in life. No matter what you had done or failed to do, he was happy to bring you in, give you an impossibly deep and steady hug, and just share some space and time with you.

He enjoyed travel and adventure, music, softball, fishing, golfing, hunting, and watching his children, and more recently, his grandchildren play sports.

He loved music. Few things brought him more joy than hearing his friend, Billy Powell of Lynyrd Skynyrd, tickle the ivory. Road trips typically involved him behind the wheel, cruising down the road, drumming his hands on the dashboard while steering with his knee—an impressive display of skill and synchrony—as he howled out the lyrics to his favorite songs. Rumor has it that the dashboard of his first car sported deep indentations from these drum sessions.

Fred had a deep appreciation of nature. He especially loved long days at the beach. His ideal day began with the first light over the Atlantic and ended watching the sun sink beyond the horizon, rarely without a cold drink in his hand and a smile of cool contentment on his sun-kissed face.

May the sun never fully set on you, Freddie! May you always remain right there in its warm, orange glow. We love you. Peace!

Fred is survived by his longtime partner, Anne Christian; his children, Maximilian Wade Dixon (Ellen), Thomas Frederick Dixon (Abby), Sarah Elizabeth Routh (Lehman); grandchildren, Wade, Wyatt, Etta, Zeke, Sonny, Leh, Gal, Emily Mae; brother, Eddie Dixon (Natalie); sister, Loretta Gahman (Dalton); aunt, Macy Bryant Williams; nieces and nephews; former wife Liz Mazur Dixon; and former in-laws Timothy and Debra Mazur. He was preceded in death by his mother, Charlotte Elise (Bryant) Dixon, and father, W.F. Dixon.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bridges of Hope Charitable Trust (1326 Antioch Church Road, Homerville, GA 31634) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

As per his wishes, he will be cremated with no formal services. Kind words and expressions of sympathy can be left for the family at www.musicfuneralservices.com. The Dixon family is being served by the professional and caring staff of Music Funeral Services of Valdosta.