Fritz Roland Dixon

1932 - 2020

Fritz Roland Dixon, MD
October 11, 1932 -- October 27, 2020
Fritz Roland Dixon, 88, passed away October 27, 2020 in Boise.
Fritz was born in Paoli, Indiana, the only child of Pete and Phyllis Dixon and graduated from West Baden High School in 1950 in a class of 22. The total school enrollment was less than 300. He worked in a service station, as a cabinet finisher and on natural gas pipelines during summer vacations. He married his wife Martha in August 1954. They were married for 62 years.
After graduating from Indiana University Medical School with a medical degree and BA in zoology, he worked as a Commissioned Officer in the US Public Health Service stationed at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston, the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina as a resident in pathology and at the Taft Sanitary Engineering Center in Cincinnati.
In 1963 he moved the family to Boise where he served as Director of the City-County Health Department. He worked for the Idaho Department of Health administering the Idaho tuberculosis program. He also worked for the Bureau of Preventive Medicine and as Idaho State Health Officer. He retired in 1993 as the State Epidemiologist receiving from the Ada County Medical Society the award of Physician of the Year. For 40 years he served on the Boise Hospital Infection Prevention programs.
After retiring, Fritz and Martha traveled extensively across the US and Canada in their RV. They particularly enjoyed the three trips they made to Alaska. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, and reading. He was a staunch supporter of the US Constitution and ran for the Idaho Legislature in 1993.
He was a member of numerous clubs and associations, serving for seven years on the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association. He competed in the National High Power Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio and won medals as a AA trapshooter as a member of the Boise Gun Club.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.
Fritz is survived by his two children, Melinda (Brian) Rippy and Mark (Deb) Dixon, grandchildren Phil (Erika) Dixon, Matthew (Carly) Rippy, Shanna (Justin) Webb and five great-grandchildren.
The family would like to express their appreciation to the staffs of Exceptional Caregivers, Harrison's Hope Hospice, and Aspen Valley Senior Living Community for their compassionate care. A private family service will be held with interment at Meridian Cemetery.