Nancy Jane Dixon
Newmarket, Ontario
June 28, 1954 – December 1, 2024
How do you pay tribute to someone like Nancy Dixon, who gave fully of herself to every worthwhile endeavour she embraced, including APSGO.
Nancy and I came to the Aurora chapter of APSGO in 1993, when our daughter was 16 years old. The APSGO philosophy was a fresh approach for us, allowing us to unite in a common approach to parenting, leaving anger and unbridled emotion to one side, while we strategically confronted our issues with our daughter, with the key support we needed.
We became small group leaders within the first year at APSGO, buoyed by our unexpected success and assisted by both the philosophy and the support. After a couple of years, we became co-coordinators of the Aurora chapter. By this time, Nancy recognized the value of the APSGO formula in our lives and the rewards of supporting others in their difficult parenting struggles.
In the late 1990’s, Nancy’s interest in APSGO extended to the Board level, first as a Board Member from Aurora, and eventually rising to the APSGO presidency around 2001. Nancy served 6 years as president and 2 additional years on the Board as Past-President. In her time as President, Nancy spearheaded an outreach from the Board to the local chapters, attempting to share information, techniques and meeting structures among all of the APSGO chapters. She also worked diligently on a funding proposal to the Trillium Foundation, which was eventually submitted to the provincial government and came close to approval. Nancy also worked very hard on an update and re-writing of the APSGO Bylaws, which still stand as of today. She also believed in support at the Board level, making many long-time friends there and standing strong in support of her successors.
As a husband, co-parent and APSGO Chapter co-coordinator, Nancy and I learned and later taught many techniques and strategies within the group that remained useful to us for the rest of our lives. Embracing “natural consequences”, avoiding “parent blaming”, using “I statements” and giving “bottom lines” all became part of our approach to life moving forward.
Now that she has passed away, as did our daughter ironically, who we came to APSGO for in the first place (killed by a drunk driver in 2018… definitely a different support group!!), I want to thank her for a glorious 49 years of marriage, commend her for the passion, compassion and humour she brought to our marriage, her career as a Labour and Delivery nurse, her time with APSGO and her subsequent involvement with the Newmarket Historical Society Board and all of the other lives that she touched.
I love you, my Darling! Rest in peace, knowing that your life was important and that you will always be remembered by all of us, for the person you are and the contributions that you made.
Bruce Dixon
Friends and Beyond:
Don’t let the tough, no nonsense demeanor fool you, Nancy had a heart of gold. Her empathy and compassion often prompted her to action.
A little over a year of learning and implementing new skills and techniques to maneuver through the land mine of teen years, I was faced with a difficult decision to take custody of my first grandchild or let Children’s Aid take over. After working in small group with Nancy, she asked if she could give me a hug. I knew that wasn’t normal protocol, but she intuitively knew just what I needed at the time.
Not long after, I was threatened with an extended hospital stay over Christmas due to shortage of home nursing care. Nancy once again rose beyond APSGO boundaries offering her nursing skills and to leave her family Christmas to address my care needs.
I know there are countless stories of Nancy’s contributions. She will always have a place in my heart!
Nancy Wright
I met Nancy at my first APSGO meeting in October 1999.
Nancy taught prenatal classes at Southlake Hospital.
I was in ICU there for 3 weeks due to a botched colonoscopy.
My husband, Dan, thought he was going to lose me. Nancy would always stop by to provide much needed comfort and compassion from very much her soft side. I am the better for having a friendship with Nancy.
Nancy, you are greatly missed. Happy memories live on with us.
Maureen MacNeil
Nancy’s obituary and further tributes can be found on: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/33920548/nancy-jane-dixon