Dixie Fraughton

Dixie Lee Rhone Fraughton

Our beloved matriarch, Dixie Lee Rhone Fraughton, 89, of American Fork, peacefully passed from this earth on January 31, 2025, in her home, surrounded by her children. Although Dixie would have liked to join her loved ones across the veil sooner, we are all grateful for the extra time we had with her!

Dixie was born on July 28, 1935 to Wilson Rhone and Pauline Ruby Hayes in Mt. Union, Pennsylvania. When she was eight years old, her family relocated to Lehi, Utah for her dad's work. There wasn't a Presbyterian church in Lehi, so Dixie was allowed to attend church with a friend. When she was twelve years old, Dixie was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A few years later, her family settled in American Fork, and Dixie attended American Fork High School, where she met the love of her life, Dean Fraughton. The two were married on November 23, 1953, in the Salt Lake Temple and spent the next 55 years together, until Dean died in 2008. In 1963 they moved their family to our cherished house on East Main Street*, in American Fork. It was in this little yellow house that they raised their four children, cultivated faith and love, and turned their home into sacred ground.

Dixie was a devoted member of her church and served in many callings, including years of service in the Mount Timpanogos temple. She enjoyed genealogy work and used her gift of storytelling to write her family history, and preserved several generations of memories for her posterity. She had a testimony of Jesus Christ, and truly believed that everything would be okay in the end. "If it wasn't okay, it wasn't the end."

Dixie loved gardening and working in her yard. She grew many different things over the years, but she always kept peonies. She enjoyed decorating her house, watching old movies, spending time with her family and friends, and going to Seniors. After she was widowed, Dixie discovered her independence, and the courage to learn new hobbies and even embarked on a few adventures.

Dixie always wanted to be a great-grandma, and while she used to hope she'd live to meet at least one great-grandbaby, she lived to know and love 46 great-grandchildren! Dixie made every member of her family feel important and loved by remembering special details about each person, and never forgetting a birthday.

Dixie often told us her greatest joy in this life was her posterity. She was deeply loved by her children, in-laws, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dixie was delighted whenever her family came to visit, and was blessed to see each of her grandkids and great-grandkids in the few months before her passing. Dixie led her family with unshakable faith, a deep commitment to God, and steadfast dedication to her values. She never raised her voice, and she always kept her word. Dixie was cheerful, thoughtful, honest, hardworking, kind, and forgiving. She had a good sense of humor, and was still amused by her kids in her final days. She loved to have fun and never complained, no matter how difficult life was.

Dixie liked to make other people happy, and always considered everyone's feelings. We adored the ways she made each of us feel special. We loved her fried eggs, her stories, the lilacs in her driveway, her homemade root beer, her pumpkin patch and homegrown berries- and that we could always count on her to have Sprite in the fridge. We loved working with her in the yard, the way she worried about everyone and everything, her thoughtful gifts and all the little outings. We loved her carefully collected box of toys, her traditions and parties, and lunch at Pizza Pie Cafe, with a coupon, of course. Dixie was most especially committed to making every holiday feel special. We treasure the memories we made in her house- it truly is sacred ground.

Dixie's life was a testament of love, and dedication to her family. The grief we feel is the price that must be paid for loving her so deeply, but we choose to honor her and find joy. We celebrate the life and legacy she gave us, and cherish the memories we made with her. We love you to pieces, Dixie.

Dixie is survived by her children Cody (Charli) of Centerville, Judy (JR) Thompson of American Fork, Travis (Sheri) of American Fork, and Shellie (Kim) Struthers of Lehi, her sisters June Udell of Reno, NV and Debbie Preston of American Fork, brother Pete (Jan) Rhone of American Fork, 17 grandchildren, their 13 spouses, 43 great-grandchildren, and 1 more on the way. Dixie is preceded in death by her sweetheart Dean H. Fraughton, her parents Wilson Rhone and Pauline Johnson, brother Wilson (Skip) Rhone, brothers-in-law Bob Udell and Billy Preston, grandson Seth Cody Fraughton, and great-grandbabies, Avi Jo Sessions, Stetson Lee Fraughton, and Magnolia Bee Fraughton.

Our family would like to publicly thank Dixie's nurse Anna, for the exceptional care, compassion and dignity she provided for Dixie. Anna, you have been a comfort to our family as you guided us through this process, and attended to Dixie, thank you.

Funeral services to celebrate Dixie's life will be held on Saturday February 8, 2025 at the American Fork 32nd Ward building, 261 North 900 East, American Fork, Utah at 11:00 a.m..

Those who would like to visit the family, may call on Saturday morning from 9:45 a.m.-10:45 a.m. at the church, or Friday night from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. at Anderson & Sons Mortuary, 49 East 100 North, American Fork, Utah. Interment will be at the Francis Cemetery.

Our family would like to invite you to wear something bright and colorful in remembrance of Dixie.

*Around 2008, the city of American Fork changed the name of East Main Street to 50 South.