Dixie Lee Pemberton

She was born to the late Joe Squires and Mary (Sigler) Squires on April 11, 1940 in Cassville, West Virginia. She was predeceased by her husband, Donald (Shorty) Pemberton, her middle son, Robin Jason Pemberton, and brother Gene Pierre Monden.

Her memory will be cherished by her oldest son, Joe and his wife, Deborah; her youngest son Marcus; her grandchildren, Jason Williams, Christopher Pemberton, Destiny Switizer. and Journey Schultz; her great-grandchildren, Dominic, Chris (Reno), Millicent, Liam and Monroe; and a number of other loving relatives and close friends. Most notably her best friends, Margo, David and Melanie, and Buster the Cat.

She moved with her parents and brother to Michigan in the late 1950s for a short period before heading west to Santa Monica, California. Her parents had bought an old school bus which they converted into the family’s motor home and in style they took it across the country, settling down in Santa Monica, CA. Dixie graduated from high school and married soon after. A year later, in 1959 Joe was born, then the following year, 1960 Robin (Rob), and the next year, 1961 Marcus. In 1962, the Family returned to Michigan where she has resided ever since.

She enjoyed antiquing, camping, and coaching her son Marcus’s softball, basketball, and field hockey teams. Dixie was very involved with Special Olympics as a Coach, Mentor and Chaperone. She liked collecting beautiful porcelain figurines and polar bears, that she liked to look after and she said they looked after her. She enjoyed watching Michigan State Football and the NFL games on Sunday and Monday Night with her son Rob. She knew how to pick the winners – the ones with the coolest helmets!

She was employed by the State of Michigan for several decades where she had several roles during her tenure, including the Department of Transportation, and Human Resources, and retired in 1997. Dixie started as a Data Entry Clerk with MDOT and concluded her time with a role in Human Resources. For a time after retirement, she owned her own business cleaning houses, focusing on disabled individuals, before making retirement a permanent pastime.

Over the last seven years, she has been preparing herself to go to her own galaxy in the universe.

During the last six months of her life, Dixie resided at Sparrow Mid-Michigan Hospice House. Where she shared time and time again how happy she was to be surrounded by such caring, compassionate, loving people! She loved to visit with anyone who entered her room, which she made into a home away from home, and get their life’s story. She was grateful to all the Nurses, Techs, Volunteers and Staff who all made her quality of life at the end so amazing! Dixie was a woman, who lived her life with a Kind Heart, a Fierce Mind, and a Brave Spirit!

In lieu of flowers, the Pemberton Family respectfully requests contributions in Dixie’s memory to be made to Sparrow Foundation, in care of Sparrow Mid-Michigan Hospice House at Generosity Heals! (qgiv.com). The Sparrow Foundation plays a critical role in the Health System life cycle by collecting resources and boosting community awareness.

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes Lansing Chapel. To leave a cherished memory or words of sympathy for the Pemberton family, please visit www.grlansing.com