PETALUMA, Calif. – Donald Dean Nixon of Petaluma, Calif., and originally of Paris, passed away March 22, 2018, as a result of Alzheimer’s disease.
No services are planned. He willed his body to the University of California at San Francisco and hopefully will be of benefit to science.
He is survived by his wife, Anne, who adored him for 35 years. There could never have been a more happy, loving marriage, full of laughter and fun.
Mr. Nixon grew up in Paris and enjoyed a wonderful early life. Pals from grade school and one from before that remained good friends for life.
Upon retirement, the couple sold everything and became full-time RVers for 10 years, finally settling in Surfside, Wash. After his sweet mother, Bess, passed away, Pop Joe, a wonderfully fun-loving man came to live with them.
A few years later, Mr. and Mrs. Nixon threw on backpacks and explored Europe three times, roaming about without any plans. He enjoyed playing golf everyday at Surfside Golf Course with good friends and made two holes-in-one there.
Two years ago it was necessary to move to Petaluma, near family, just north of San Francisco, where he lived in memory care facilities.
He is survived by only one cousin, Wendell Myers; his daughter, Teri, and son Vincent, having already passed. He also considered his family to be Dave and Maureen Jochum and granddaughters, Lauren and Kristin. With them, he experienced what he called life in the fun lane.