Roland Gregory Dixon

Oct 16, 1948 -

Aug 16, 2022

Roland Gregory Dixon, known on the ice as "Rudder," finished his final hockey game in a blaze of glory on Aug. 16, 2022, at his home at Prestige Care and Rehabilitation Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Greg was 73. Born in Goodland, Kan., in 1948, to Paul and Hallie Dixon, Greg, the second of their 11 children, liked to remind everyone he was "number two in line, but number one in your heart."

In 1950, the new family moved north to the rapidly growing town of Anchorage, finding a home at 11th Avenue and E Street just south of the "park strip," one block away from the hockey rink. The rink became Greg's wintertime home away from home, where legendary pickup games happened every night throughout the winter with the army of kids from the many families that lived in the immediate vicinity. Epic battles were waged, noses were bloodied and skills were learned, but more importantly, lifelong friendships were made.

Greg attended what was then Anchorage High School, then moved over to the new West Anchorage High School, graduating in 1966. During the Vietnam era Greg served in the Air National Guard at Kulis Air Base in Anchorage, completing his service in 1967. While casting about to land his "next big thing" in life, Colonel Dempsey Anderson, who was building a hockey club at Alaska Methodist University (AMU) - the predecessor to APU - talked him into joining the club. The AMU team would go on to dominate the Anchorage Senior League hockey scene, and Greg would become "Hat Trick Dixon," feared by goalies and loved by fans. While at AMU, Greg settled on the archeology program, graduating in 1973 just as the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline was beginning. Joining the State of Alaska's Office of History and Archeology, he traveled ahead of the proposed route of the pipeline through some of the most remote parts of Alaska, conducting surveys of heritage sites.

The beginnings of his lifelong battle with health troubles began at age 25, when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This may have slowed him down some, but it didn't stop him. A lover of music and the arts, Greg had many friends who played in local bands, some of whom went on to national fame. Always interested in Alaska and its history, he joined the Pioneers of Alaska Igloo 15, the Alaskan Prospectors Society and a local book club, among many others. He traveled Europe with the Elder Hostel group and his longtime friend Donella Otter. He continued to advance his education, graduating from University of Alaska Fairbanks with a Master of Science in archeology in 1994. Time and health complications caught up with Greg and he finally "came off the ice," retiring from the National Park Service in 2015.

Greg's parents preceded him in death; and he is survived by his siblings: Duan, Naida, Barry, Chad, Julie, Jed, Alfred, Adrian, Rita and Regina.

Memorial services for Greg will be held throughout the afternoon on Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Visitation will be 1-3 p.m., at Janssen Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street. Burial will be at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery, 535 E 9th Avenue, in the Pioneer's section of the park at 4 p.m. And we will finish the day with a Celebration of Life, to be held at O'Malley's on the Green, at 3651 O'Malley Road. Please join us in sharing our favorite "Greg" stories, refreshments, music and dancing from 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. Please RSVP to Rita Lindow at 907-252-2522.