Marcheta Rose Dixon was born in Yountsville, Indiana, the daughter of Raymond and Nancy Runyon on March 26, 1939.
She attended Alamo School for 12 years, graduating in 1957. She was very active in school, belonging to the Sunshine Society, Rainbow, 4-H, speech and was a yell leader for the 1957 Alamo County Basketball Champs. On April 20, 1958, she married Robert Dixon and had two sons, Brian and Jeff.
In 1974 she opened The Marc Antique Shop on Halfway Road (C.R. 400W). In 1982 she and her husband purchased Season’s Paint and Wallpaper on West Main Street in Crawfordsville. She moved her antiques to that location and opened The Marc above a vintage clothing store and gift shop. She sold paint, wallpaper and draperies, which were made in her store by Betty Miles. In 2000 she and her husband purchased two more buildings and renamed her store La Rose on Main.
She was very active in community affairs. She served on a board for a local museum and chaired a committee for the city of Crawfordsville for downtown. She was very generous to the community as she held vintage clothing shows for nursing homes for free. She loaned and gave clothing and antiques to local organizations and charities, and was known for her kindness, helping many people who came into the store needing merchandise or money.
She is best known for her Christmas Shop, which in the past 10 years has given more than $30,000 in gift certificates for groceries at Christmas time for 300 needy families. She was part of the Queen’s Court during the Crawfordsville Sesquicentennial. She loved Crawfordsville and supported it, and has been referred to by many as a local icon.
She was a member of the First Christian Church and was very active. She was best known for her lemon blossoms that she made each year for the church bazaar. They were auctioned off for enormous prices to be used by the church for special purposes. She was a foster mother to five children.
She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Robert; sons, Brian (Clokie), Tennessee, and Jeff, Florida; foster daughter Jody Flanagan, Evansville, Astrid Carstensen, foreign exchange student from Germany whom she considered her daughter; sisters, Wandalene Smith, Florida, Lois Smith, Colorado; brother Earl (Bev) Runyon, Hammond; sister-in-law Barbara Runyon, Crawfordsville; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father and her mother; brother Don (Wilma) Runyon; brother Raymond Runyon; and sister Marilyn (David) Nelson.
She had a private service officiated by the Rev. Dorman Winger, who along with his wife sang during Robert and Marcheta’s wedding in 1958. She was buried in Alamo Cemetery next to her mother.
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, memorial donations in Marcheta’s name may be made to the Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, 1104 Big Four Arch Road, Crawfordsville, IN 47933; or the Christmas Shop, 122 W. Main St. Crawfordsville, IN 47933.
Services were provided by Hunt & Son Funeral Home.
