In Loving Memory of Barb (Stancliff) Dixon

Barb’s Family Life

by her brother, Richard Stancliff

My sister Barb (Stancliff) Dixon is the longest relationship in my life. I remember our Mom placing my hands on her stomach before Barb’s birth, and I could feel her kicking around in there.

Barb was born Aug. 17, 1946 in Hollywood, CA, where our father was a staff musician at the anchor CBS radio network station KNX. He played violin in the CBS network’s professional orchestra during an era when the only way to get high fidelity was to play it live. Our Dad played in the orchestra pit for many early TV shows like Lawrence Welk and Red Skelton (as well as many radio programs).

Our mother was the schooled one in the family, earning a Master’s Degree at Columbia University in NY; and became a school teacher after several years homemaking with us kids. For reasons still not entirely clear to me, our family was somewhat reclusive; Mom was very protective of us kids and did not let us out into the neighborhood much. So we were largely backyard kids, and spent a lot of our time together in the same cage, mostly getting along except when I was the dominating older brother. That, however, did not extend to school, where Barb, being over 3 ½ years younger than I, was 4 years behind me, and therefore almost always in entirely different schools.

The family abandoned the city in 1956, and moved to the relative country provided by Beaumont, when I was to start high school, and Barb continued grade school, then progressed to intermediate. The family sold that home and moved to a rental home in Redlands, where Barb graduated from Redlands High.

In about ’61, our parents purchased the lot on 18th St. in Yucaipa and built their retirement home. The family moved there in 1962. By then I was attending college and not around all that much. Barb surprised us all and eloped at age 19 with an older man (25), Mr. Terry Dixon. Within a year or so, we were all blessed with their daughter, Jenny.

Well, Terry gradually developed abusive tendencies. Barb had to stand between Terry and Jenny at times; there was a separation and a reconciliation, and finally a divorce. Barb was welcomed back home by our parents, and lived there while completing her medical tech courses at UC Riverside. She was then employed at Loma Linda University Hospital, where she worked for many years. She purchased a home on 16th St. nearby, and raised her daughter as a single mom (though Mom and Dad of course provided welcome babysitting).

Our Dad passed away at the rather youngish age of 66; and several years later, Jenny was tragically killed in an auto accident at age 16. Barb of course was devastated, and turned inward and isolated for about a year, before emerging with as much or more compassion and helpfulness as she had prior to this disaster.

A good friend has described Barb’s soul as one of Service. It’s very accurate; Barb has been wonderfully helpful and generous to so many in her life, as Pastor Bob described.

Mom purchased a home in Redlands to be closer to town and medical services as she aged. Mom had joined some activities at nearby Plymouth Village, and Barb accompanied Mom to many of those. Barb became friends with many of Mom’s contemporaries, and as that group aged, she provided care and companionship to many of the Plymouth Village residents. And, she moved in with Mom and provided companionship and care for nearly a decade, and eased her into her death at home, where Mom wanted to be.

And now, if there is a heaven, I’m sure she is there with our family and all those friends and neighbors. That’s my hope and wish for her, my dear little sister, Barb Dixon.