Linda Kay Dixon Mariotti, 71, our beloved mother, daughter, grandmother and sister, of Salt Lake City, Utah, passed away on Friday, November 8th, 2019. Linda died peacefully in her home, surrounded by her family, after a valiant 11 month battle with pancreatic cancer.
Linda was born on June 30, 1948, in Provo, Utah, to Melvin R. Dixon and Carol Collard Dixon. She attended East High School in Salt Lake City, graduated with a Bachelor's degree in English from The University of Utah, and later studied at the University of California, Berkeley and College of Notre Dame to earn her Master's degree.
Linda began her 50 year career in education as a junior high English teacher in San Francisco, California. It was there she met and married Francesco Mariotti, to whom she was later sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple. They were married for 27 years. Linda and Francesco had two daughters with whom they later moved to Brussels, Belgium, and eventually settled in Utah.
Once in Utah, Linda continued to teach junior high English, though she quickly transitioned to school district positions, junior high and high school administration, and eventually became the third female assistant superintendent of Granite School District - the position in which she was serving at the time of her death. Beyond her family, Linda was most passionate about her career and the education of all children. She had plans of retiring & working in advocacy for refugees.
Fluent in both French and Italian, Linda traveled the globe for both personal and professional pursuits. She relished learning about local cuisine and cultures; a gourmet cook, she derived tremendous joy from cooking for those she loved. A meal at Linda's table was always exquisite.
Linda was a lifelong patron of the arts and a season ticket holder of local theatre which she enjoyed with her mother and sisters.
Service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was a responsibility Linda enjoyed tremendously. She served in all auxiliaries in the ward and stake level. A unique calling that had a profound impact on Linda was her four years teaching religion to incarcerated youth. She considered this a choice calling in her life.
Linda treasured nothing more than family. She impressed upon her two daughters the value of education, culture, family, and good food. Her eight grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. Gram dates, cousins club, skydiving, sleepovers and Sunday dinners were all her trademark ways of spending time with them and showing her love. "Gram" never missed a game, performance, presentation or milestone. Her grandchildren adore her and her impact on them is profound.
She is survived by her two daughters, Sarah (Shane) Cullimore, Mia, Jackson, Eli, Ben, Amanda (Brandon) Calton, Max, Libby, Isabel, Tallulah, her mother, Carol Dixon, and her siblings, Susan (Phil) Clinger, Debbie Dixon, David (Nancy) Dixon, Amy Dixon (Mark Grandstaff), and Emily Masadah (Hawk).
Funeral Services will be held in her honor at 11 AM on Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at the South Holladay Stake Center, 1830 East 6400 South, Murray, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to services at the same location beginning at 9 AM. In lieu of flowers, Linda would love donations made to the Linda Dixon Mariotti Scholarship, Granite Education Foundation, https://granitekids.charityproud.org/Donate/Index/4896