Pearl Nixon

Pearl Elizabeth Nixon

12/14/1922 ~ 12/12/2014

My best friend, my beautiful mother, died today with her loving family by her side. She tried to die peacefully, but her loud, boisterous family would not let her.

She has always been a strong woman: surviving cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and a teenaged daughter. Her husband died when she was 47, compelling her to raise a family of six by herself. She did so quite successfully – teaching her children to love the outdoors and all animals and to be happy and loving, like she was. Mom loved to dance, golf and laugh.

Pearl was born on December 14, 1922 in Mohrland, Utah. She was proud to be a coal miner’s daughter. When she was 8, the family moved to Roy where she grew up on a farm, attended Roy Elementary, and then later Weber High School, where she was a cheerleader and friend to all. A teacher once told her that her tongue was tied in the middle and always flapping at both ends.

Mother was a U.S. Marine in World War II, and damn proud of it. Her family is proud of it too.

After her service in the Marines, she married James Joseph Nixon and raised five sons and a daughter. She attended Weber State College and worked at Albertson’s bakery, the Officer’s Club at Hill Air Force Base, JC Penney, and the IRS.

Mom loved nature and the outdoors and taught her family to love it too. She and her family spent entire summers camping in the mountains of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. One of her greatest joys was camping with her sister, Katherine “Sis”.

Mother began oil painting at the young age of 81. Some of her other loves included spending time with her family, always insisting on having holiday parties at her house, even when the family got so big there wasn’t enough room; golfing every spring, summer, and fall since she was 42; and gardening in her succulent little corner of the world.

Even though she had dementia, she was always joyful, witty, fun, and loving. Everyone who came in contact with her felt her humor and love, especially the boys. If God is a man, he’d better be prepared for some flirting.

Surviving are her five sons and their wives, James and Natalie, Brett and Carla, Mark and Lori, Mike and Wendy, and Scott and Teresa, and her daughter Lori, her favorite. She has 18 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her sister Katherine Smith, brothers Forrest and Bryant, and husband James.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16th at Lindquist’s Roy Mortuary, 3333 West 5600 South. The family will meet with friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the mortuary.

She will be laid to rest in the Roy City Cemetery.

The family wishes to extend their sincere and heartfelt thanks to the Delta Wing staff at George E. Wahlen Veterans Home and Bristol Hospice.