John O Wixom

“Anything is possible.” That is what John O Wixom believed about life. He was a creative man, a perpetual inventor, who seemed to be able to find a solution for any difficulty confronting him. He had faith in his ability to find those solutions. John thoroughly enjoyed understanding how things worked. He possessed an inquisitive, confident, and rational nature matched with a versatile and agile mind. John was a person who believed that he could achieve whatever he set out to do.

John was born on November 15, 1934 at home in Pittsburg, Oklahoma. His parents were Lee and Margaret Wixom. John was raised in Oklahoma. He showed his ingenuity even as a child. When he was confronted with a problem, John could develop an imaginative solution, and he derived satisfaction from knowing he had that ability.

This same talent for finding solutions had a positive bearing on John's family relationships. There was Willie, Donald, Ruth, Leslie, Wanda Kate, Terry and Judy. When a difficult situation or dilemma arose within the family, John was always there to help figure out a solution for making things work.

As a young boy, John could be found building and inventing new and different things. He was curious, resourceful and interested in anything original. John took part in riding horses and being around animals. In his spare time he liked to go fishing and hunting.

Endowed with an appetite for knowing how his world worked, John enjoyed school, especially when the learning experience involved dissecting and probing the unknown. John was adept at scrutinizing different possibilities and designing innovative solutions. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Shop or Mechanics class.

On November 21, 1964 John exchanged wedding vows with Mary Ann Gobel at Little White Chapel of Las Vegas, Nevada. John was adept at devising original and creative ways to enhance and improve the marriage partnership. John was seldom a critical person, but rather the one who was able to bring out the best in others. John was an entertaining conversationalist who was quick to respond to his spouse’s needs. He was a vibrant personality and he enjoyed verbally sparring with Mary. In fact, those who knew him often remarked that John loved to argue for argument’s sake. He was very perceptive in recognizing others’ feelings, especially regarding Mary's.

John's remarkable talent for being inventive influenced his relationship with his children. He would create original, clever and fun games for his kids and had a knack for finding ways to make every day events, even chores, enjoyable to them. John was blessed with three children, Dan, Sandy and Phyllis. They were also blessed with ten grandchildren, Daniel, Stacy, Travis, Katie, Nicole, Ashley, Diane, Sue, Anthony and Brian. Someone who was quick to laugh, John found it easy to spend lots of time with his children, but he was never overbearing.

As a born inventor, John was definitely in his element in his work place. He could easily create new and innovative systems, and incorporate those changes to bring a fresh approach to any work situation. John was a focused worker with a strong drive for achievement. He could assess all of the options before him and, using his analytical skills, could comfortably find answers that no one else had even considered. His personal initiative inspired those around him. John was always good at getting a project started and then, at the appropriate time, handing it on to a colleague. His primary occupation was a Hyster Driver and a Forman for a lumber yard. He was employed for the lumber mill for many years. John always made an effort to be a team player, doing what needed was necessary in order to get the job done.

John's passion for finding a better way to do things was often an end in itself for him. In fact, that interest by itself became something of a hobby for this perpetual problem solver. Since John was always searching for new and unusual activities, he developed many interests and leisure pursuits. Some of the things he became an “expert” in might come as a surprise to those who knew him, but most friends and family understood that John simply couldn’t be limited to just a few activities or ideas. His favorite pursuits were raising animals and being with his family.

John's calm demeanor and eternally positive outlook served him well in sports. Recreational sports included fishing, hunting, and riding horses. John was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were hunting shows.

Having the opportunity to visit and explore a new place always intrigued John. Traveling and going away on vacations offered yet another opportunity for John to expand his ever-growing inventory of knowledge. Favorite vacation spots included Las Vegas, the Colorado Mountains, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and camping trips to Arizona.

John was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of John's favorites was his horse named Sandan, his rooster named Dog, his dog named Abe, and his goose named Charlie. They were some of his best friends for 20 years.

Even while in retirement, John never stopped exercising his inventive talents, and this new phase of his life provided new opportunities for stimulating his interests. In 1996, his new life involved relocating to California, Missouri, and Arizona. In retirement, he found new pleasure in being with his family. Even in retirement, John continued to stay in touch with his old friends and while making plenty of new acquaintances.

John passed away on July 6, 2010 at La Paz Regional Hospital in Parker, Arizona. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Wixom, children-Dan, Sandy, Phyllis, Grandchildren-Daniel, Stacy, Travis, Katie, Nicole, Ashley, Diane, Sue, Anthony, Brian, Great-Grandchildren, Kaylie, Kaytie, Danniell, Destine, Son-in-Law, Kevin, Daughter-in-Law, Tina, Brothers, Willie, Leslie, Donald, Terry, and Judy. Services were held at Parker Funeral Home 1704 S. Ocotillo Ave Parker, Arizona (928) 669-2156. John was laid to rest with loved ones.

During his lifetime, nothing appeared impossible to John. He met the words “it can’t be done” with the enthusiastic challenge of a “wanna bet” attitude. John was able to recognize the possibilities a new idea held, even when those around him could not. For John, the traditional way of doing things fell short of his expectations, especially if there were original and untested methods for handling a challenge. For John O Wixom, the fun of living his life could be found in the challenge.