Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Phildora Esther Dixon was born at home on the family farm in Clinton, Maine, in 1915. Phildora was the last born of five girls. She was named Phildora after her father Philip and her mother Nora. Her father thought it would be nice to have a boy to help out on the farm, so he lovingly gave each of his daughters a boy's "nickname." Phildora's nickname was Pete. Her father was a farmer, while her mother was a stay-at-home mom. She was greatly influenced by her mother, who was one of the most kind-hearted people. Her mother taught her how to cook, how to knit and how to sew. Her mother often went calling to visit with friends taking them baked goods and fresh flowers. Phildora had early talents, especially for playing piano and singing. She always enjoyed singing hymns.

Babe Pete was 8-years-old when she met 10-year-old Reginald Humphrey. When they were young, the two liked to "play house" and once reaching their teen years, became girlfriend and boyfriend. As Pete grew up with her older sisters Maxine, Dorothy, and Freda, Reginald always referred to the "Beautiful Dixon girls." He affectionately called Phildora "My beautiful blue-eyed Dixon girl." She often combed his hair in school because she liked to take care of him. Phildora graduated from Clinton High School in 1933 as she was Valedictorian of her class. She earned a teaching degree at Farmington Normal School. Becoming a teacher, she taught in a one-room schoolhouse on Mutton Lane for nearly five years. Phildora and Reginald exchanged traditional wedding vows, when they were married by a Baptist pastor on the family farm with the immediate family attending, on September 2, 1938. She has been "his lady" ever since. While Phildora worked as a teacher, Reginald opened a grocery store, R.H. Humphreys, and they also owned a chicken ranch. The couple was happy to welcome the birth of their first child on April 17, 1944. They named her Ellen. Phildora was a wonderful mother, loving and caring.

Maine seemed to be the coldest place on Earth. The family first moved to Florida for one year. After the war, Reginald's brother Larry was moving to Glendale. Phildora and Reginald decided to move to pursue bigger opportunities. Knowing there was no housing available in California, Reginald drove his family all the way across the United States in a 1940 DeSoto with an old, homemade trailer behind it. For forty days and nights, they inched their way across the United States in the middle of winter. There was dancing in a cantina in New Mexico and great meals prepared by Larry's wife, Dora. Once arriving in Southern California, there was no housing and the roads were not paved, so they parked the trailer and lived in it. When Spring came, they decided to try to find some way to make a living. Reginald bought a lot in Burbank, developed it, and built a house. He could see the future as California was beautiful with lots of land just waiting to be developed. When he finished the home, real estate companies were petitioning to buy it. He sold it, bought another lot and built another house. He grew the business this way. During these early years in Burbank, the couple had joys to celebrate with the birth of their twin sons on July 2, 1948. Phildora stayed home with the children, while Reginald built up their construction business, Humphrey Homes. The company built three houses a year, while Phildora helped as a color consultant by choosing the tile, paint colors, lighting fixtures and built-in appliances. The details in the home were very important.

As a mother, Phildora was amazing. In many ways, she gave her life for her kids. She enjoyed baking and cooking, so much so, the kids loved coming home from school to find their mom taking a treat out of the oven. She had a big sweet tooth, which was fitting, as she was sweet throughout her life. Her specialties were hot homemade bread with melted butter, Snickerdoodles, Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Rich Chocolate Cake with Creamy Whipped Icing, Lemon Meringue Pie, Fudge, and her famous Pineapple Pie. There were many wonderful times with the kids. Phildora was always happy to sew badges that the kids collected onto Ellen's girl scout uniform or the boys' cub scout uniforms. There was always music with the grand upright piano, a tuba and saxophone. Phildora and Reginald enjoyed making a batch of Fudge in the evening and watching TV together. She was quite a cook saying, "I'll bake off a batch of cookies," for her family. Phildora had many favorites. She loved watching old-time movies. One of her special holidays was Christmas as she liked putting up decorations. The Christmas holiday was an event with a movie camera whirring and camera lights flashing. For fifty years, they put out a special gold musical centerpiece that Reginald bought at the May Company. Her favorite holiday was Valentine's Day, which was filled with hearts and love. Her life focused on family as she always had a big, loving heart for everyone.

Phildora and Reginald considered Maine a great place to live, so they arranged to drive back to Maine every other summer. With 2,000 lakes and ponds in Maine, the family spent five or six weeks by Unity Pond in the summer. Multi-generations gathered in Maine as there was blueberry and raspberry picking, thick cream from the farm, fresh milk straight from the cows and homemade doughnuts rolled in cinnamon sugar. On the odd summer, the family spent time at Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear.

The family began going to Santa Monica Beach in the mid-40s. They always went to their special spot in the sand and people at the beach knew them. They probably spent 60 years in the same location. They loved visiting Santa Monica Beach, wearing their King and Queen Hats. They loved the beach so much, they went to the beach two or three times a week when it was warm. They'd put out an umbrella and enjoy a lunch of tuna fish sandwiches, which probably contributed to their wonderful long lives. Phildora always had a big heart and she'd take bread crust along to the beach to feed the birds. She was known as the "bird lady" of Santa Monica for feeding the birds. She had a special soft spot for a one-legged bird, as she always made sure he got an extra helping of bread. The biggest adventure was a summer trip with the family to Europe, as they danced their way through Germany, England, Holland, France, Switzerland and Italy. The couple enjoyed many vacations over the years, including cruises to the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Caribbean, and the Mexican Riviera. Every winter, they traveled to Hawaii for a week and they visited Ellen's family in Canada regularly. They were always on the go.

Her talents for knitting were amazing. She knitted sweaters for Ellen when she went to University. She knit Ellen a blue sweater that was so beautiful, Ellen's friends wanted sweaters. So, Phildora knitted sweaters for her daughter's friends. Ellen ended up with a sweater in every color. When Ellen brought a boyfriend named Neil Russell home to meet the family, Phildora told her, "He is wonderful. He is your white knight." She was smart and she could see the future. Phildora invited Neil over for dinner and made him her special African Meatballs, Bean Salad, and Chocolate Cake. She was so pleased when Ellen and Neil married. By the time the grandchildren were born, Phildora had knitted many baby booties. She loved all of her grandchildren. When they were young, she'd read books to them, bake Rice Krispie Treats and Apple Pie with them, and teach them how to do things. She also taught them about love. When Kirsty was a little girl, she said, "I know what love is – love is taking a hug." She learned that from Nana because she always gave her grandchildren hugs and said, "I love you."

After Reginald retired, Phildora earned a job at Edison Nursery School, teaching pre-school aged children. She always looked so smart with her hair piled high while wearing coordinated pantsuits and flowers in hand. Over the years, the family always celebrated their wedding anniversaries. On their 50th wedding anniversary, everyone went to Maine and rented cottages by Unity Pond, while enjoying a delicious lobster dinner. It was wonderful. The family also held big celebrations for their 60th and 70th wedding anniversaries. A true love story, including the time they first met, they have been together for 86 years.

An animal lover, Phildora liked feeding the birds at Lake Balboa. With the kids over the years, there were guinea pigs as pets and tadpoles that turned into frogs. When they had a black poodle named Gi Gi, she was like a princess. When the family found out the princess was pregnant, Reginald, acting as a midwife, helped Gi Gi deliver a litter of eight healthy puppies. Four of them were black and four of them were chocolate brown. The pet food company Cal Can heard about the special delivery and brought four cases of dog food to the house in exchange for a photo session with the dogs. A photo of Gi Gi and her pups ended up on the cans of Cal Can dog food. The family also had special pet cats such as Chrissie, a beautiful, fluffy white Persian cat; Podunk, a coal black cat the family rescued while traveling in Podunk, Illinois; and Snowball, a little crazy cat who liked jumping into her milk bowl. For decades, Phildora's favorite magazines were Good Housekeeping and Redbook. Recently, she was reading about anti-wrinkle cream in the March issue of Good Housekeeping. Even though she didn't have wrinkles, she started using Oil of Olay. She especially enjoyed an article about blessings and things in life that give you happiness. She certainly believed that the greatest happiness in life is when you give of yourself. It's really not the "things of life" that bring us happiness. When you give of your heart and extend love to others, the memories of life are precious and priceless.

Phildora loved everything sweet and she liked her coffee with cream and sugar. As the years passed, the entire family got together for "Tuesday night dinner." Keeping in touch with the family was always a top priority. Over the last three years, Phildora and Reginald enjoyed eating at Lancers Restaurant or Shabers Cafeteria in Burbank. When family members visited from out of town, Phildora wouldn't go to bed until they all were home safe and sound.

Phildora Humphrey was a kind person who had lots of friends. She always had a listening ear and, just like her mother, she'd go calling (visiting) neighbors or friends with a plate of her baking in her hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. She loved giving camellias, roses or yellow daffodils to friends. Her favorite color was yellow, the color of friendship. She was a tiny, beautiful woman. When she spoke, you knew it was important. Her words of wisdom: Cooperation, consideration, communication and compromise. Loving everybody, she thought people shouldn't waste their time not showing people that they cared. Living in the family home since 1955, they always made friends with their neighbors. In fact, no matter where Phildora lived, she always made good friends. Even over the last few years, she liked taking care of Reginald. She held his hand and she slept with a flashlight to make sure he was safe if he got up in the middle of the night. Sometimes they'd just sit at the big picture window and watch the squirrels frolick and climb the Maple tree from Maine.

To this day, many people still called her Pete, as she would answer to Phildora, Phil, Pete and even Aunt Do-Do. However she was addressed, her response was always the same as she unconditionally loved everyone. Her final joy was her favorite holiday, Valentine's Day. This most recent holiday really was a lovely day for her. She received several boxes of her favorite See's Chocolate. Receiving a box of chocolates always put a smile on her face. Her final instructions to her family were to "make sure Dad's okay" to ensure he was taken care of. Every night she shared a kiss with her husband. The night she passed away, Reginald gave her a kiss and she opened her eyes. A few hours later, she passed peacefully. They shared a real love story as an example to everyone. In honor of her love in life and love of chocolate, she will be laid to rest with her favorite Valentine's boxes of chocolate by her side along with a hand-woven blanket made by Ellen. She will be wearing her favorite colorful Wonder Bread blouse, which belonged to her sister, Freda. In making sure her Valentine's chocolate went with her, the family believes she will be sharing her treats with her older sisters. Valentine's Day will always be remembered as "Mom's Day." She had a big heart filled with love.

Phildora will best be remembered as loving and caring. She will also be remembered as a wonderful homemaker until the end, as she was helping in the kitchen overseeing the making of Rice Krispie Squares and Strawberry Shortcake treats a few weeks ago. The family will miss her words of wisdom, her strength in comforting everyone else, and her presence. She was truly as sweet as apple pie!

Phildora was preceded in death by her parents and four sisters. She is loved and remembered by her husband Reginald; daughter Ellen and her husband Neil; son Doug and his wife Linda; grandchildren Kirsten, Colin, Wayne and Nick.

A few of Phildora's favorite sayings:

A Wise Old Owl
A wise old owl lived in an oak
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. --Reinhold Niebuhr

1 Corinthians, Chapter 13:
There are three things that last forever: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The motto Phildora lived by always hung in her kitchen and it always will.

The Song of Atonement:

A bell isn't a bell
Until you ring it.

A song isn't a song,
Until you sing it.

And the love that's in you
Wasn't put there to stay.

Love isn't love,
Till you give it away.

Live life to the fullest
Sharing, caring and loving others.

There is joy to be found in every moment.