Dixie Carol Janzen (1935-2026)
Dixie Carol Janzen, 90, of Hays, Kan., passed away at her home Monday morning, Feb. 9, 2026.
She was born in Baxter Springs, Kan., on Oct. 17, 1935, to Otho and Mae (Jones) Wittenmyer.
After moving with her family to Lyons, Kan., she met Edwin Janzen of nearby Lorraine during her junior year of high school. When her father was transferred, Dixie and Ed made the decision to marry on Aug. 1, 1953, in the little town of Frederick, Kan. Consequently, she was a married woman during her senior year. The couple welcomed son Christopher in September of 1954, and a daughter, Dana, in 1957.
Dixie and Ed farmed south of Geneseo, Kan., but made a difficult decision to leave the farm and move to Great Bend, Kan., eventually ending up in Hays in 1968. Ed was a jobber, a distributer of gas and oil, for DX, Conoco and Phillips. As the business expanded into Janzen Oil Co., Dixie was integral in making decisions about the direction of the company. A comfortable life allowed her to enjoy being a homemaker, while buying, decorating and selling numerous homes over the 72 years of marriage she shared with Ed. Other interests were reading, singing, fashion and, she said unapologetically, shopping.
Although Dixie was somewhat of a private person, she was interested in other people and would astound her family by how she seemed to know life histories of waitresses, salesclerks and other casual acquaintances. Those fortunate to call her a close friend admired her strength, wisdom, faithfulness and confidence.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Sandra Frost, Patsy Fitch and Donna Brewer; brother Mickey Wittenmyer; and a beloved granddaughter, Jennifer Goetz.
Her survivors include her husband Ed, son Chris and daughter Dana Goetz (Chris), all of Hays; granddaughter Laura Buhlig (Tim); and great-grandchildren Kaison, Kallie, Joshua, Alexander, Ivan and Layla, all of North Ogden, Utah, and Gage and Wyatt Hallam of Andover, Kan. Also surviving is brother, Mike (Betty), of Seneca, Mo., and sister Sue Robinson, Galena, Kan.
Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be at a later date and announced by Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made payable to the First United Methodist Church of Hays or to the Hays Arts Council, in care of Hays Memorial Chapel, 1906 Pine St., Hays, KS 67601.Condolences and memories of Dixie may be left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com.