Alongside family and friends of David W. Dixon, a multitude of area firefighters gathered Tuesday to grieve the passing of a brother. Dixon, 61, was assistant chief of Coopers Mills Volunteer Fire Dept.
The Whitefield man, who also volunteered on many town committees and was a local Boy Scout leader, was diagnosed mid-February with pancreatic cancer. He died Friday.
The May 19 ceremony, marked by dignity and emotion, followed military style protocol. The station was draped in black, and black elastic mourning bands encircled uniform badges.
Two uniformed fire service members stood guard at the casket during visitation Monday at Lawry Brothers Funeral Home in Windsor. A Boothbay Fire Dept. honor guard bearing ceremonial flags and ax presided at the funeral service the next day. A portable fire service bell was rung, in three sequences of five tones, for a last alarm ceremony, and bagpiper Rob Simmons, of the South Portland Fire Dept., played at both the funeral home and later at Coopers Mills cemetery.
Aided by Coopers Mills chief Scott Higgins, who delivered the fire department eulogy, Brian Huntley, reading the fireman’s prayer, and deputy chief Tim Yorks, leading the last alarm ceremony, family members conducted the service. They included Dixon’s sons Todd and Justin, and Jackson Benson, an ordained minister who is a brother of Dixon’s widow Gwyn.
The portrait that emerged was of a selfless, generous, talented man who will be deeply missed in many circles. Justin remembered the values his father instilled, the professionalism he modeled.
Benson said his brother-in-law “could not be accused of being loud or obnoxious, and I can’t imagine Dave having any enemies,” not, even when he worked for the Dept. of Environmental Protection.
Higgins recited a list of “small sentences and words” that drew tears from many eyes: Christmas trees, referring to the plot of evergreens Dixon raised and sold; “candy canes for my little ones, his kindness, the Coopers Mills Fire Department auction, turkey beano, golf, Coopers Mills dam meetings, committees, more dam meetings, grants, long range fire department planning, more dam meetings, training, and yes, fires.”
Eight pallbearers lifted the casket onto a Whitefield fire truck, which then led a procession of various emergency vehicles, including Windsor, Somerville, Jefferson, and Waldoboro, to the gravesite. Alna was on standby to respond to calls.
North Whitefield fire chief Tim Pellerin, who is also Lincoln County’s Emergency Management director, later described his role in orchestrating the solemn occasion as that of “helper.”
The former Westbrook deputy chief said, “In my lifetime, I have a lot of experience doing this,” and he responded to the Dixon family’s request for help.
There are two alarms a firefighter answers, he said, “the call for fire and the call for help. I answered the call for help. Whatever we do, we want it 100 percent right for our brothers and sisters that have come to say goodbye. This is the brotherhood, this is our family.”
Following the graveside ceremony, the Whitefield Lions Club served a reception lunch.
