Howard Duane Dixon, 97, of Taneytown, Maryland died on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at Carroll Hospice Dove House in Westminster, Maryland. Born August 16, 1916 in Whiteside, Kansas (near Hutchinson), he was the son of the late Walter L. and Ruth (Graves) Dixon of Hutchinson, Kansas. He was the husband of Maxine Hess Dixon, to whom he was married for more than 71 years.
He graduated from Hutchinson High School and attended Hutchinson Junior College. After graduation from the Bliss Electrical School in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1938 he worked for the Air Track Mfg. Corp., developing the first aircraft "Blind Landing System." He assisted in the airport installation of this system at the Allegheny County Airport, Pittsburg, PA. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving during World War II.
He worked 20 years for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD before retiring in 1980. Howard participated in many tests while with the JHU/APL - installing and securing various test and recording equipment aboard military aircraft, aircraft carriers, cruisers, and submarines. He "rode ship" during the involvement of the US Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin during participation in the war in SE Asia, using helicopters to do the early testing of the Cruise Missile, and working with the Army in West Germany during Pershing tests. He assembled the first portable test package for the Talos Missile and participated in many US shipboard radar tests with that package. He assembled the "platform" and electronic enclosures for the submarine "Floating Wire" tests in Hawaii involving ship, aircraft, and submarine.
In 1942, he was united in marriage to Maxine Roberta Hess. They were blessed with three children: Robert, Steven, and Lynn. Duane was a member and past president of the Taneytown Lions Club. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Council as a trustee. He enjoyed camping, traveling, and working on home renovation projects.
Surviving in addition to his wife Maxine, are son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Diana Dixon of New Windsor, MD; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Suzanne Dixon of Laurel, MD; daughter and son-in-law, Lynn and Abraham Orbach of Hilton Head, SC; grandsons, Ryan Dixon of Frederick, MD, and Randy Dixon and wife Christina of Westminster, MD; granddaughters, Denelle Dixon of Gaithersburg, MD, Helena and Nati Orbach of Chicago, IL, and Sharon Wietstock and husband Andrew of San Francisco, CA; sisters-in-law, Louise Grier of Forest Hill, MD, and Estelle Null and husband George of Oxford, PA. He was preceded in death by sisters and brothers-in-law, Hannah and Ross Varnum, and Aliene and Robert McDaniel; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ruth and George Head.
A memorial service to celebrate Duane's life will begin at 4 pm on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 38 W. Baltimore St., Taneytown, MD with the Rev. Stacy Marsh officiating. The family will receive friends in the church chapel from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. Inurnment will be private and at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Carroll Hospice Dove House, 292 Stoner Ave., Westminster, MD, 21157, or to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 38 W. Baltimore St., Taneytown, MD, 21787.
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He graduated from Hutchinson High School and attended Hutchinson Junior College. After graduation from the Bliss Electrical School in Takoma Park, Maryland in 1938 he worked for the Air Track Mfg. Corp., developing the first aircraft "Blind Landing System." He assisted in the airport installation of this system at the Allegheny County Airport, Pittsburg, PA. He was a veteran of the United States Navy, serving during World War II.
He worked 20 years for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD before retiring in 1980. Howard participated in many tests while with the JHU/APL - installing and securing various test and recording equipment aboard military aircraft, aircraft carriers, cruisers, and submarines. He "rode ship" during the involvement of the US Navy in the Gulf of Tonkin during participation in the war in SE Asia, using helicopters to do the early testing of the Cruise Missile, and working with the Army in West Germany during Pershing tests. He assembled the first portable test package for the Talos Missile and participated in many US shipboard radar tests with that package. He assembled the "platform" and electronic enclosures for the submarine "Floating Wire" tests in Hawaii involving ship, aircraft, and submarine.
In 1942, he was united in marriage to Maxine Roberta Hess. They were blessed with three children: Robert, Steven, and Lynn. Duane was a member and past president of the Taneytown Lions Club. He was also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Council as a trustee. He enjoyed camping, traveling, and working on home renovation projects.
Surviving in addition to his wife Maxine, are son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Diana Dixon of New Windsor, MD; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Suzanne Dixon of Laurel, MD; daughter and son-in-law, Lynn and Abraham Orbach of Hilton Head, SC; grandsons, Ryan Dixon of Frederick, MD, and Randy Dixon and wife Christina of Westminster, MD; granddaughters, Denelle Dixon of Gaithersburg, MD, Helena and Nati Orbach of Chicago, IL, and Sharon Wietstock and husband Andrew of San Francisco, CA; sisters-in-law, Louise Grier of Forest Hill, MD, and Estelle Null and husband George of Oxford, PA. He was preceded in death by sisters and brothers-in-law, Hannah and Ross Varnum, and Aliene and Robert McDaniel; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ruth and George Head.
A memorial service to celebrate Duane's life will begin at 4 pm on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 38 W. Baltimore St., Taneytown, MD with the Rev. Stacy Marsh officiating. The family will receive friends in the church chapel from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. Inurnment will be private and at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Carroll Hospice Dove House, 292 Stoner Ave., Westminster, MD, 21157, or to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 38 W. Baltimore St., Taneytown, MD, 21787.