Michael Dixon

Michael Dixon, 50 years old, of Dione (Cumberland), Kentucky, peacefully passed from this life to his eternal home in Heaven on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at the Greg & Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center in Hazard, KY. Born on February 21, 1974, in Harlan, KY, Michael was the middle sibling of seven children.

Michael was a very gregarious, gifted, and eager servant of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was a member of the Friendship Holiness Church in Barbourville, KY, where he shared his many talents. One of Michael’s greatest loves was playing gospel music. God had given him the ability to play 13 different instruments and gave him the opportunity to provide lessons to students on these various instruments. Some of his students still play to this day and plan to “pass on” their knowledge and skills to others. Even though his “song has ended, the melody lingers on.” Not only was Michael a gifted musician, but he was even called to preach in 1997. While he was the pastor of Waynesburg Pentecostal Church, he and his wife, Tracy, opened the Lincoln Christian Academy school.

Everyone who knew Michael was aware that his life’s pursuit and passion was to share the love and compassion of Christ with others during their most difficult life seasons of bereavement. This was truly a calling from above that Michael heard when he was only five years old. From that moment on, his dream was to be a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and one day, owner of his own funeral home. He was always so thankful to the late Lewis Bianchi for giving him the opportunity to set out on his life’s career path back in 1992. While still attending Cumberland High School, Michael began his apprenticeship with Bob Manual by overseeing the care of local cemeteries. He would go on to become an EMT and serve in various roles at the Tri-City Funeral Home. Later, Michael graduated with dual licensing as a funeral director and embalmer from the Mid-America College of Funeral Service in Jeffersonville, Indiana in March 1998. It was then that Michael returned to the Tri-Cities for 6 months to work closely with Bob Manual and learned to perfect his trade. Michael would move on to direct several other funeral homes before finally becoming the owner of Hampton Funeral Home in Barbourville, KY, in May 2022. God placed  this dream within Michael when he was but a child, and it was the Lord who brought it to fruition in the final 2 years of Michael’s life. Prior to his death, Michael was able to say that, “I truly accomplished everything I ever wanted during my life.”

Michael was preceded in death by his father - Myrthul Dixon, mother - Norma Lee Dixon, and brother - Jeffery Dixon.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife - Tracy, and his son - Joseph Michael Dixon, along with his siblings - Kathy Dixon Hughes and her husband Carlton; Melvin Dixon and wife Lenora; Jess Dixon and wife Heather; Jerry Dixon and wife Katie; Terry Dixon and wife Sheila; Sister-in-law, Kellyn Dixon; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Michael also leaves behind a mother-in-law who loved and cherished him as her own son, Etta Bruner.

The visitation for Michael will be on Friday evening from 5-9pm and Saturday from 11-1. Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 1pm at Hampton Funeral Home (previously owned and operated by Michael and his wife Tracy) in Barbourville, Ky. Michael preached his own funeral while he was alive, but his pastor, Brother David Rice (Friendship Holiness Church), will be conducting the funeral service. Burial will be at Huff Cemetery, Cumberland, KY. Pallbearers will be friends and family, with Michael’s brother, Jess Dixon, officially laying him to rest.

To the Dixon family, the staff of the Hampton Funeral Home would like to offer you our heartfelt sympathy during your time of bereavement.