Dixie Ann Chicoine (nee Rathman), age 76, passed on January 2, 2009, at Villa St. Benedict Benedale Center in Lisle, Illinois. She was born in Marion, Iowa on March 21, 1932, the second daughter of Gilbert and Laura Rathman.

Dixie grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and often spent summers with her maternal aunt in Mobridge, South Dakota, where the Lakota Sioux of the Standing Rock Reservation accepted her as an honorary Sioux princess. She attended Iowa State University in Ames, where she met Henri Chicoine, whom she married in 1953. In 1958, after the birth of her first three children, twins Mark and Mary, and Yvonne, she moved to Downers Grove, Illinois, where her fourth child, Julia, was born. Prior to moving to Villa St. Benedict in January of 2008 Dixie resided in Carol Stream, Illinois, for 13 years.

While her children were young, Dixie was a homemaker, who frequently volunteered to support her children's activities, the church, and the community. Later, Dixie worked at George Williams College, and then at DuPage Credit Union. She retired from the Credit Union in May 2004, after 30 years of service. Dixie loved to entertain and was a great storyteller. She enjoyed bridge, bunco, and other games, and usually had a deck of cards nearby for a quick game of solitaire. She did beautiful needlework, and crochet. She was an active member of St. Luke's Parish in Carol Stream, serving as a sacristan and president of its seniors' group.

Dixie is survived by her four children, Mark (Babs) Chicoine of Shelbyville, Tennessee, Mary Chicoine of Carol Stream, Yvonne (Thomas Starke) Chicoine of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Juli (Mike) Gniadek of Downers Grove; her three grandchildren, Jaclyn (Timur) Duehr of Naperville, and Amy and Molly Chicoine of Shelbyville, Tennessee; and her special friend of nearly 25 years, Carmine Pizzi of Bartlett, Illinois.

A visitation will be held from 4:00 to 9:00 P.M. on Wednesday, January 7, at the Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 North Main Street, in Wheaton. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 A.M. on January 8 in the Chapel at Benedale Center of Villa St. Benedict, 1920 Maple Avenue, Lisle preceded by visitation at 9:30 A.M. Interment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, January 9 at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Villa St. Benedict Foundation.

Family and friends may visit hultgrenfh.com to sign an online guestbook or for more information call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.