Jean Mary Dixon

“Tenderly we treasure the past, with memories that will always last”

Jean passed away peacefully at home on Thursday 24th February 2022 aged 85 years surrounded by her family knowing she was loved.

Her funeral will take place on Friday 11th March 2022 at Crewe Crematorium Chapel at 1pm.

Kind donations are going to Cancer Research.

For further information and to offer your condolences, please telephone our Funeral Home on 01270 584447

**********************************************************************************************************************************

Jean was a brave, stoic, wonder woman, despite being terribly unwell for a
substantial period of time, she was convinced she would improve and refusing to
give up, she would make light of her symptoms, she never complained and had the
selfless nack of deflecting the focus off her own problems. When asked “how are
you feeling? She would say, “I’m ok, more importantly how are you?” Each time
the doctors told the family Jean was nearing the end of life, she would defy the odds,
bounce back and everyone would be delighted but shocked to see her out and about
again.
Just 4’11” Jean was ever so tiny but incredibly strong minded with a larger-than-life
personality. She could stand her ground with anyone foolish enough to cross her
including her late husband Keith who totally adored her. They were as different as
chalk and cheese but well matched.
Growing up, Sue, David and Karen remember their house was always the social hub
and safe haven where all the kids in the neighbourhood gathered to play in the
garden complete with Wendy House, toys and a warm welcome from Jean and
Keith.
Her home was her pride and joy, with an impressive flair for interior design, Jean
kept it immaculate inside and out. Much like her own appearance, she was
fashionable and colour coordinated and it wasn’t that long ago when she used to
wear skinny jeans.
Jean had so many special people in her life, she was very fond of Karen’s partner
Steve, a cherished nan or nanna to Joshua, Jack & Ellie, dearest sister to Jean and
the late Frank and Arthur, and close to sisters in law, Sheila and the late Angela.
She was a much-loved auntie to Julie, Philip and their other halves Mick and Fiona
and great auntie to Gemma, Michael, Molly and Lydia and a good friend to many
over the years, especially Jean.
Born and bred in Crewe, Jean was one of four siblings born to Frank and May Edge
and it seems her brothers were to blame for her being a little tomboy. ‘Our nip’ they
used to call her or ‘Jeanie with the light brown hair’ and she often used to swing off
the lampposts in the street, she was good at netball and hocky. She once tried to
retrieve someone’s keys from a grid, and someone slammed the lid on her finger and
broke it. She once climbed over a cow gate and broke her foot and yet as she got
older, she turned into a proper lady and extremely glamorous!
She hardly spoke about her childhood but had fond memories tap dancing and of
school holidays with her aunties in Wales, doing basket weaving. She spent a lot of
time with her cousin Betty who was like a sister and who remembers them hiding in
the cellar under the chippy in Grosvenor Street during the war.
Jean’s claim to fame after frequent visits to Wales was being able to perfectly
pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
After leaving Ludford Street school at the age of fifteen, Jean started work at
Doodies sewing factory where they made school blazers.

She met the love of her life Keith when she was sweet seventeen and they danced
together at the studio in Crewe – they did a fantastic jive and even in later life, were
the envy of many when they got on the dance floor.
During their courting days they hung around with Keith’s cousins, Mari and the late
George and his wife Dorothy.
Jean and Keith exchanged their lasting vows at St Barnabas Church on Keith’s
birthday, 22 nd August 1959, but when they booked the date, they hadn’t realised it
was on the same day as Crewe Carnival and although Jean felt like royalty in a huge
procession, her dad was extremely embarrassed! On a positive note, Keith never
forgot their anniversary!
Their reception was at the LMR club (or the LMS as Jean always called it) followed
by a honeymoon at Cliftonville, Margate where they caught a ferry to Calais for the
day – the one and only time they ever went abroad!
Initially the newlyweds lived with Jean’s parents in Alexander Street but once they
had saved enough for a deposit, they moved to their forever home in Deva Road.
They continued to dance at the Studio, enjoyed playing snooker at the NUR and
going to the Alex but then those activities dwindled when the children arrived, and
Keith worked away.
At the age of twenty-five, Jean became a new mum to Sue or Susan when she was
in trouble, followed by Karen and then Dave.
She made all the girl’s dresses and although Karen normally had Sue’s hand me
downs, she does remember her mum made her some pink crimplene hotpants with
silver buckles. She was also a keen knitter and a fantastic baker.
She started back at work when Dave was around eight years old and after various
jobs, she got part time work, normally on Saturdays at British Home Stores in Crewe.
Karen remembers meeting her mum from work and she regularly treated Karen to a
new outfit for her night out with her wages.
She always loved a game of bingo and in their younger days, she and Keith played
darts for the Pioneers and for a season at Uncle Frank and Auntie Sheila’s pub, The
Crown. They also liked to go to the George which is now the Co-op.
They had many enjoyable family holidays at the Robin Hood Camp in Rhyl and
places like Cornwall and Great Yarmouth.
She always loved days out – more so than long holidays, although she and Keith did
like going to Blackpool with all the family. It all started when Keith had a surprise
seventieth at the Cliffs Hotel and they returned every year to stay in the same room
with entertainment in the evenings, a game of bingo, a trip to the penny arcades and
Sue remembers how her mum used to take her walking stick but as Jean sprinted
down the prom, Sue ended up needing the stick to keep up with her!

After Keith died Jean often went to stay at Karen and Steve’s caravan in Abersoch.
Sue and Ellie both recall how fit she was, regularly walking the length of the beach
and for miles, tackling steep hills.
She liked the simple pleasures like a run out in the car but her main passion was
shopping, for five hours solid on a Friday with Karen and Sue to the regular places,
Hanley, Chester and Northwich at her favourite shops, Dunelm, Home Bargains, M &
S, Laura Ashley, Next, Matalan, Bridgemere Garden Centre and Minshull Nurseries
and even after five hours, she still forgot things – blaming the girls for rushing her!
And whereas many would be shopped to the max, she would go shopping again with
Dave on the Saturday! And she always had to have a flutter on the scratch cards
and lottery.
Another passion was her grandchildren, she always saved money in a pringles box
and loved giving it to them in rotation. But she did save twenty pence coins for
herself! Jean was always a good saver yet unbelievably generous and would give
you her last penny.
And no matter how tight money was in days gone by, Jean always loved the magic
of Christmas especially after her grandchildren arrived. The house was always like a
toy shop, and she loved to fill pillowcases to the brim. Even when she was really
poorly, Karen told her to give everyone money instead, but she insisted on giving
Karen a list of presents to get.
Whenever she ran out of Christmas paper, she would use birthday wrapping and she
loved a bargain!
Jean was an avid football fan and always supported Liverpool like the rest of the
family, except Steve! and gloated whenever Liverpool defeated Man U!
Much like Thora Hird, Jean always seemed to reinvent words: She loved watching
Wimbledon or WIlberdon as she called it! A Vienetta was a Vendetta.
A JTO drink was a JLO and she always used to say ‘damned wasps’ and the
grandchildren used to think that was their proper name.
She was in the car with Karen and Sue one day and at the traffic lights on West
Street, she glanced over at the barber’s shop and said, “oh look, you get a free wig!”
No mum, it says free wifi! And we mustn’t forget Covis!
She liked watching countdown but invented her own words. She also liked TV quiz
shows like Pointless, Tipping Point – or was it Ben Shepherd she really liked?
One of her favourite TV programmes was Mrs Brown’s boys and you wouldn’t think
for one minute she really didn’t approve of swearing, she found it hilarious.
Unsurprisingly, she also liked to watch any baking or cookery programmes and she
used to enjoy Country File and Escape to the Country.

She was a keen gardener and grew an abundance of veg, tomatoes and cucumbers
and planted bulbs for the spring. Even when she was ill, Jean used to walk down to
the bottom of the garden with her stroller to sit in the sunshine but never failed to say
to Sue “They need watering!”
And speaking of veg, Sundays was always very important to Jean, Sunday lunch at
home with all the family and wo betide anyone who dared to do anything different –
oh she was feisty down the phone!
Jean was nursed at home by Sue, Karen and Ellie, she is loved and missed and
forever in the hearts of her devoted family and friends.

May she rest in peace.