Dixie Hethke's Obituary
Dixie Lorraine Lee Hethke was born October 9, 1930 in Park City, Utah. She passed away April 17, 2020 in the Covington Memory Care in Lindon, Utah. She was preceded in death by her parents Elmer C. and Mary Catherine Raddon Lee, and all of her siblings, except her brother Sam. She was the youngest of six children: Helen Louise Lee Murnin, Clara Virginia (died as an infant), Elmer Raddon Lee (called John), Frank Raddon Lee (died as an infant), and Samuel Hector Lee. Sam rode his bike to see her nearly every day for several years once she went to Memory Care.
Dixie loved growing up in Park City. She and her brother Sam shared a close camaraderie. Dixie fondly remembered her Grandpa Raddon. He and Dixie often walked together “taking a daily constitutional.” Grandpa Raddon was like a father to Sam and Dixie.
Dixie worked for Pacific Life in Salt Lake as a secretary for two years after graduating from Park High. Then she moved to Washington, D.C. in 1949 to attend a secretary training school for government secretaries. Between the time the bus left Utah and arrived in Washington, D.C., her father, a member of the Secret Service, had been transferred to the Truman home in Independence, Missouri as Secret Service for former President Harry S. Truman. She also found the secretarial school had been cancelled. While walking around the city, searching for another opportunity, she happened upon the AT&T building, where she saw a help wanted sign. Dixie went in looking for a job, and left hired as a switchboard phone operator. Dixie worked in Washington, D.C. until about 1953.
When her sister Helen moved to Portland, Dixie moved to Oregon to live with Helen and Barney, and she continued working for the phone company as a switchboard operator. Before long, Larry Hethke came to Portland to visit his good friend, Barney Murnin, a thinly disguised excuse to see Dixie. Larry proposed not long after and they married in June 1954. They moved to Salt Lake to work (and again her job with the phone company transferred). After a couple of years they moved to San Francisco, about 1956. Larry transferred to the Presidio of San Francisco, the 6th Army Headquarters. Dixie transferred to Pacific Bell, part of AT&T. They stayed in San Francisco a couple of years before returning to Salt Lake City to care for Larry’s ailing mother. They both recalled their time in San Francisco as a favorite experience.
Back in Salt Lake, Larry worked as a civilian employee for the Army Reserve at Fort Douglas. After retiring from that job he worked for Mountain Fuel Supply Company. Dixie continued working for the phone company, Mountain Bell, which later changed to US West, then to Quest, then to CenturyLink.
Dixie worked as a volunteer for the Granite school district and enjoyed hearing the precious first-graders read to her. She said, “That was my favorite job.” Both she and Larry volunteered for the American Cancer Society.
When Larry and Dixie married the gossip in Park City was “those two spoiled-brats will never make it,” however, they had a good 62-year marriage. They enjoyed traveling together on many trips around the United States, to Greece, Scandinavian countries, Rome, Switzerland and other places. When asked what mattered most to her, Dixie said, “The things I value most in life are my relationships with my husband and family.”
She loved to travel and enjoyed seeing many countries with her husband Larry, brother Sam, and adored nephews, Frank Hansen, Patrick and Michael Murnin, and Dan Lee.
She loved children, including SuLyn Smith and her children, and her nieces and nephews. They remember wonderful gifts beautifully wrapped and many shared meals and experiences. Dixie is remembered fondly as a loving, pleasant, and caring person, who had a good sense of humor.
What’s your fondest memory of Dixie?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dixie?
Share a story where Dixie's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dixie you’ll never forget.
How did Dixie make you smile?