Dixie Lynn Blaney

Dixie Lynn Blaney (Cox) was born in Grand Island, Nebraska to Ervin Maynard Cox and Patsy Fern Cox (Stairs) on Tuesday April 24th, 1956. She was born so small her parents took her home in a shoe box. She was raised in several different small rural Nebraska communities over her childhood until her parents divorced in 1962 when she was moved to the state of Washington with her sister Rhonda to live with their father.

Dixie moved to Lusk, WY in the early 70's where she spent most of her life. She met Delbert Ray Blaney through a mutual friend Johnny Krein. After a brief courtship they were married and had two sons, Ronald William on April 16th, 1976 and Matthew Robert “Bobby” Blaney on December 2nd, 1977. The couple suffered the tragic loss of Bobby on March 24th, 1978. A tragedy that shook the entire family, Dixie especially. Delbert and Dixie divorced in the mid 80’s.

Dixie worked various odd jobs around Lusk including Merit Cleaners & Laundry and The BQ during the summers before finding her calling as a dispatcher at Niobrara County Sheriff’s Office. She worked as a dispatcher for a few years until the Wyoming Women’s Center opened in 1984. She spent a few months training in Rawlins at the old men’s prison before embarking on a decade plus long career. She started as a corporal before advancing to the rank of captain. Dispatching once again became Dixie’s calling in 1995 when she rejoined the NCSO as a dispatcher and eventually became Communications Supervisor. She worked hard in every job she had often exceeding expectations after having only obtaining a GED. She taught herself various different skills on computers which she often used to create better ways of doing things in jobs with lower budgets. She was very proud of the work she did in both corrections and law enforcement communications. After fifteen years at the NCSO Dixie retired due to health issues having left the Communications Department in a far better state than when she began.

Dixie had many hobbies in her lifetime. Sewing, beading, cake making, hair styling, manicuring, knitting, and crocheting to name a few. She was even an artist for a brief period after taking Bob Ross painting classes with her sister Rhonda they both painted masterpiece landscapes that the late artist himself would’ve been proud of. To be honest there probably wasn’t many craft mediums she didn’t try and master. Had she been born a few decades later you might be following her on YouTube or TikTok.

Perhaps her biggest joy in life though was being a mom and of course, everyone’s Auntie. There wasn’t too many kids that she met that didn’t eventually call her Auntie. She was always there for all of her kids whether they were hers or not. Sharing her words of wisdom, telling funny stories, giving a warm hug and a shoulder to cry on, and of course making them baby blankets. Dixie was probably responsible for about 30% of the yarn sales in this part of the country over the years. She was so adept at knitting and crocheting that she would often do it while working. Of course there were times when a project would get the best of her so she would put it up for a while and return to it often years later as if it were a five minute break. Although somewhere down river are pieces of an Alf doll she began in the 80’s for her son and never quite finished.

Dixie was a sweet, kind, beautiful, and creative soul who filled every room with joy and love. She touched the hearts of many people over the years and will forever be remembered as a truly amazing person by all that truly got to know her. Dixie never let life get her completely down no matter what was thrust upon her.

Dixie was preceded in death by her grandparents Leta and Robert Stairs, parents Ervin and Pat Cox, her sister Rhonda Stone, an infant son Matthew Robert ‘Bobby’ Blaney, many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She is survived by her uncle Jim (Sheri) Stairs of Meridian, ID and their children Jennifer, Jeremy, Shane, Shaylin, and Shanea also of Idaho. Half-sister Mary Coe of Hastings, NE and half-brother Bill Cox of Omaha, NE and sons Chandler and Jackson. Son Ron Fowler of Wheatland, WY. Her niece Jeni Johnson and sons Sean, Sevren, and Kanyon Johnson of Lusk, WY. Her nephew Jordan(Kayla) Courtright their children Madyson, Gage, and Mason Courtright and Brylee Carter of Glenrock, WY, and great-grandnephew Malcolm Courtright also of Glenrock, WY.

There will be a celebration of life get-together at the Pizza Place in Lusk on Tuesday August 25th, 2026 from 10 am to 12 pm.

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