Dixon Fellows Hemphill

Dixon Fellows Hemphill, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 9, 2026, at the age of 101. He will be remembered for his kindness, adventurous spirit, extraordinary passion for running, and above all, his love for family and friends.

Dixon was born on January 10, 1925, in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, to Elisabeth and Russell Hemphill. The middle of three sons, he grew up alongside his older brother, Roderick, and younger brother, David, in the family home in Westerly, Rhode Island. His childhood was filled with the simple joys of ice skating on the frozen river, spending summer days at the beach, staging backyard circuses and forming secret clubs.

Dixon graduated from Stonington High School in 1942. He excelled on the track team competing in both the pole vault and high jump. During his high school years, he formed a band called the Melody Aces, in which he played the drums. This was an interest that later turned into a love for jazz and big band music.

In 1942, Dixon was awarded a scholarship at Amherst College, where he joined Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and continued pole vaulting. His college years were interrupted in 1943 when he answered the call to serve his country, entering the Navy’s officer training program. He served during World War II from 1943 to 1946, first aboard a ship in the Atlantic and later in the Pacific. He remained in the Navy Reserve until 1969 achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. His was truly the Greatest Generation.

Following the war, Dixon resumed his education at Middlebury College in Vermont. There, he once again joined Delta Kappa Epsilon and the track team, setting a school pole vault record of 12 feet in 1949 at Madison Square Garden. An impressive achievement made even more remarkable by the bamboo pole he used. With the help of the GI Bill, Dixon continued his studies in Stockholm, Sweden, from 1949 to 1951. Always eager for adventure, he and two friends embarked on a 3,000-mile motorcycle journey across Europe, an experience that became one of his most treasured memories.

In 1954, Dixon began working for General Electric. During a training assignment in Fort Wayne, Indiana, he met the love of his life, June Johnson. The two married on January 1, 1955, beginning a marriage that would span 69 years. Together, they raised four children, building a life centered around family and friends as they moved first to Massachusetts and later to Virginia.

Throughout his professional career, Dixon worked for General Electric and several other companies in the electric boiler industry. In 1970, he took the entrepreneurial leap of starting his own company, Hydro Steam Industries, which he successfully operated until selling it in 1980. Never one to remain idle, he then pursued another passion, opening two stores, Fairfax Running Center, that would become fixtures in the local running community. It was at the age of 50 that Dixon rediscovered running, beginning an extraordinary athletic journey that would define much of the second half of his life. What started with a one-mile race in 1975 grew into countless long-distance races and achievements. He completed his first triathlon in 1984 and went on to finish 60 more. In 1988, he ran his first marathon, eventually completing 12, including a personal best of 3:44 at age 70 which qualified him for the Boston Marathon.

For Dixon, running was much more than a sport. It was a source of joy, purpose and community. In addition to his own running, he directed local races and was a personal coach to many. Even when a bicycle accident in 1999 temporarily sidelined him, he found new ways to stay active and engaged, taking up sailing, traveling with his wife and volunteering with hospice. Before long, however, he was back on the track, competing in shorter distances and proving that age was simply a number. Alongside his running friends, he helped set world records in the 4x800-meter relay in both the 80–89 and 90–99 age divisions. Dixon’s athletic accomplishments earned him induction into the Middlebury College Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Stonington High School Hall of Fame in 2023. These honors recognized not only his achievements but also his determination, perseverance and love for the sport.

Eventually, Dixon had to hang up his running shoes for good. Yet his curiosity, enthusiasm and love of life never faded. After June’s passing in 2024, he spent his final years writing his memoir, reading voraciously and cherishing time with family and friends. During these years, he was also blessed with the compassionate care and companionship of two extraordinary aides, Mulu and Christine, whose kindness meant so much to him and his family.

Dixon was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 69 years, June. He is survived by their four children: Christine Wheeler (Fred), Peter Hemphill (Elisa), James Hemphill (Diane), and Susan Howard (Bob); nine grandchildren: Collin Wheeler (Rachel), Ben Wheeler, Kevin Wheeler (Julie), James Hemphill, Lisa Burns (Ryan), Jack Howard (Hannah), Kyle Howard, Luke Howard, and Joshua Hemphill; and five great-grandchildren: Charlie, Riley, Mackenzie, Addison and Mason.

A memorial service celebrating Dixon’s life will be held on Friday, December 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at his church, Fairfax United Methodist Church, 10300 Stratford Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030. A private family interment will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Foundation https://hospicefoundation.org/donate/ or Middlebury College’s financial aid department https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/91128/donations/new?a=14693824.