Willie D. Nixon

Willie D. Nixon, 60, of Wakefield, Nebraska died on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender, Nebraska. The funeral for Willie will be held on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 2:00 P.M. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wakefield; Pastor Terry Buethe will be officiating. The visitation will be held on Tuesday from 3:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the Bressler ~ Munderloh Funeral Home in Wakefield. The family will be present from 4:00 until 6:00 P.M. Burial will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. Military rites will be by the Wakefield American Legion Post #81. Willie was born on February 24, 1950 in Wakefield, the son of Ivan and Wilma (Schnier) Nixon. He attended and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1968. Soon after graduation he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served in from 1969 to 1970 in Vietnam. After leaving the military, Willie was united in marriage to Marlys Hank-Kinney on October 9, 1971 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wakefield. Willie owned Nixon Construction and worked as a cement mason most of his adult life. For many years he worked construction in Gretna, Nebraska. He also worked at Michael’s Foods in Wakefield, and with his dad and later his brothers with Nixon Auctioneers. Willie made friends wherever he went. He enjoyed watching the Nebraska State Track Meet, attending each year from 1971 to 2008, never missing. He had many hobbies, ice fishing, asparagus and mushroom hunting, watching the space station and the crane migration through central Nebraska. Willie enjoyed putting on a golf tournament each year, giving the proceeds to fund different needs in the community. He was proud of being a U.S. Marine, and was a member of the Wakefield American Legion for 31 years. Since becoming ill with cancer, Willie enjoyed sitting in his “Man Cave”, which his family made for him. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. Willie is survived by his wife Marlys, son Rod and his wife Ginger Nixon, and a daughter Renee Nixon all of Wakefield, grandchildren and a great granddaughter: Ty Nixon and Kristen Doescher and their daughter Ava Nixon, Katie and husband Brandon Koopman, Joel Nixon, and Mason Nixon. He is also survived by his mother Wilma, brothers Mert and wife Marlene Nixon, Eldy Nixon all of Wakefield, and Lonnie and wife Marcia Nixon of Laurel, Nebraska and a sister Jan and Clay Stalling of Wayne, Nebraska. Willie is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his father Ivan and in laws Everrett and Polly Hank.