Shirley Dixon West

Shirley Webster Dixon West, age 88, of Brea, CA, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026, in Fullerton, CA, wrapped in the love of family and friends, both near and far. Born April 10, 1938, in Salt Lake City to Douglass and Gwen Webster Dixon, she joined two older siblings in their home in Payson, Utah. Her father owned and ran a grocery store, and her mother, a University of Utah graduate in home economics, taught her the value of hard work, thrift, harmony, and economy at a young age. Mischievous, athletic, and fun as a child, she grew up with a "gang" of neighborhood girls who became lifelong friends and co-conspirators. After losing her mother in a tragic accident at age 7, she eagerly welcomed a second mother, Beth Call Dixon, and each of her three younger siblings.

A graduate of Brigham Young University in Physical Education, she went on to graduate from Physical Therapy School at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. She was a Registered Physical Therapist for over 50 years, retiring at age 73 from Mercy and Memorial Hospitals in Bakersfield, CA. She met her husband, Wendell Schofield West, while working in Los Angeles, and they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1961.

Shirley and Wendell moved to Wasco, California, in 1963 with their oldest daughter. They raised their seven children to find the fun in hard work. Whether gleaning corn, tomatoes, oranges, kiwis, or grapes from the agricultural fields surrounding Wasco, cracking and shelling walnuts, or canning peaches, pears, apricots, applesauce, or tomatoes from their garden and backyard trees, she believed "many hands make light work." Shirley loved the outdoors and especially loved working in the yard and in her garden in the hot Wasco sunshine.

A "certified hugger," she hugged all of her patients to aid in their healing process. Her motto was: "What the mind believes, the body achieves." She specialized in "non-compliant" patients whose hearts inevitably softened as her skillful hands and infectious enthusiasm helped them heal both body and spirit. She was a top hospital fundraiser for the American Heart Association, an organization dear to her as a survivor of heart issues that required her to be fitted with a pacemaker.

She loved music, singing alto in church choirs for most of her life and often singing throughout her day as she worked. She was famous for her whole wheat bread, weekly baking five 1½-lb loaves, which she generously shared with others after her children were grown. She taught many of her children and grandchildren how to make bread, hot rolls, and cinnamon rolls. A self-described "wheeler-dealer," she often bartered with neighbors and found clever ways to economize while raising her seven children.

Shirley was generous in spirit and always showed care and concern for those around her. She loved to brighten the spirits of family, friends, and neighbors through a loaf of bread, a bottle of jam, a massage, or a phone call with kind words and sincere interest. Throughout her life, she faithfully served in many church leadership capacities, teaching and guiding others to find peace in Jesus Christ. A woman of faith, she had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and her family finds comfort in the knowledge that they will see her again, and that she has now been reunited with her dear husband.

Preceded in Death She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 57 years, Wendell Schofield West; her parents, Douglass, Gwen, and Beth Dixon; her sister, Joan (Grant) Brockbank; her brothers, James and Sterling Dixon; her sister-in-law, Marilyn (Russ) Tarbox; and her brothers-in-law, Joseph West and Fred West Jr.

Surviving Family She is survived by her sisters, Elizabeth (Gary) Schroeder and Leslie (Lamont) Crabtree; her sisters-in-law, Aloha Dixon, Jan Dixon, Suzanne (Dick) Stagg, Linda Poff, and Kay West; and numerous extended family members who knew and loved her dearly.

She is also survived by her seven children, 15 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren:

• Her daughter Diane (Ed) Kanady, of Oklahoma, and their children: Corinne (Matt) Ashford (great-granddaughter Parker); Carly (Brendon) Kushnerick (great-granddaughters Kennedy and Madison); Eric (Maddy) Kanady (great-grandsons Charles and Bennett).

• Her son Michael West, of California, and his children: Jessica (Blake) Harpel (great-granddaughters Peyton, McKenna, Avery, and Finley); Brittney (Matt) Broadhead (great-grandsons Waylon and Cohen); Ian (Tayler) West (great-grandchildren Oliver and Lorelei).

• Her son David (Heather) West, of California, and their children: Tyler Halen and Megan West.

• Her daughter Karen (Jerry) Perren, of Idaho, and their children: Brent Perren; Nicholas (Camille) Perren (great-granddaughter Elianna); Alyssa Perren.

• Her daughter Janice West, of California.

• Her son Steven (Alison) West, of Utah, and their children: Michaela (Simon) Cheek; Andrea (Perry) Perkins; Steen West; Elisa West.

• Her son Mark West, of Connecticut.

Services & Memorial Information

• Funeral Services: Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 11:00 AM (Visitation from 9:30 to 10:45 AM)

o Location: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 151 N. Poplar Ave., Brea, CA 92821

o Zoom Services Link: https://zoom.us/j/92195137624 (Meeting ID: 921 951 37624)

• Interment: Monday, August 31, 2026, at 1:00 PM

o Location: Idaho State Veterans Cemetery – Boise, 10110 N. Horseshoe Bend Rd., Boise, ID 83714

• Memorial Donations: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to:

o https://www.heart.org/

o https://www.peacethroughmusicinternational.org/