Edward Kirker BIXBY

1935 - 2016

Ned Bixby, 80, died on September 6, 2016 at the N.C. Little Hospice in Edina, Minnesota, from complications arising after a fall while visiting family in upstate New York. Ned was born in St. Paul on October 25, 1935, to Paul and Katharine, and grew up in St. Paul alongside older brothers Bill and Pete. It was in St. Paul that he first met many lifelong friends, including his wife-to-be, Marlene. Ned attended St. Paul public schools, graduating from Central High School in 1953, where he was a varsity swimmer. Ned graduated from Dartmouth College in 1957, where he was active with Delta Tau Delta fraternity and the Dartmouth Glee Club, and earned a Master's degree at the Thayer School of Engineering in 1958. Ned was a spirited and lifelong supporter of both Dartmouth and Thayer, and worked hard to make both stronger since the day he graduated. Ned was married on August 1, 1957 to Marlene Heger, with whom he recently celebrated 59 years of marriage. After graduate school, Ned joined General Mills, where he invested his entire 40-year professional career in varied roles across operations, purchasing, marketing and sales, based in Chicago, Toronto, Toledo and Minneapolis. Ned retired as the senior vice president of sales and distribution in 1998. Upon retirement, and in partnership with Marlene, Ned became a driving force for several high-impact organizations, most notably World Vision, the West Wisconsin Land Trust and Partners in Food Solutions. Through World Vision, Ned and Marlene have supported construction and maintenance of seven schools in central Africa through which more than 7,000 young Zambians have passed since 2001. Ned led two family expeditions to visit several of the schools, and had recently begun planning his third visit to Africa. Though Ned was a devoted Minnesotan, he spent much of every summer at family cabins on Love Lake near Danbury, Wisconsin, and recent winters among close friends in Bonita Springs, Florida. Ned was a longtime member and deacon of the Colonial Church of Edina. Above all, Ned was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was most content when surrounded by his immediate and extended family, and was a loyal friend to many throughout his life. Ned's vigorous laughter, zest for storytelling and energetic planning skills built and sustained an extraordinary web of true friendships over many decades. Ned is survived by his wife Marlene, of Bloomington; children Anne, of Edina, Scott (m. Kerry Bixby) of Ft. Worth, and Tim (m. Heather Myers) of New York City; grandchildren Ben Miller (m. Julia Miller) and Mackenzie Miller, Scott and William Bixby, and Kate and Jack Bixby; sisters-in-law Audrey Bixby, of Brielle, New Jersey, and Lizzi Heger, of St. Paul. All are welcome to attend a celebration of Ned's life on Monday, October 3, 2016 at 3:00 PM at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Avenue, Edina, MN 55424. There will be a reception immediately following at Edina Country Club. The family encourages support for the following organizations in lieu of flowers: West Wisconsin Land Trust (www.wwlt.org), N.C. Little Hospice (www.littlehospice.org), or Friendship Village/Bloomington Foundation Scholarships.