DIXIE BELLETTO
11/26/1915 - 2/16/2023
Dixie was Irish and as she got older she got more Irish. By February 2023 she was very, very Irish. But even more than that, she was a wonderful person, universally loved by everyone she met and genuinely concerned about them as well.
Dixie was born in Stockton, CA and attended St. Agnes Academy grammar school there. After her father, Timothy Crowell, died she and her mother, Lolita Robinson Crowell, and sister, June Crowell Walsh, moved to San Francisco. Her mother later married Ed (Pa) Castell. Dixie graduated from high school at the Immaculate Conception Academy (ICA) in San Francisco. It was at ICA that the Jolly 8 group of friends was formed. Of course, Dixie remained close to each of the Jolly 8 throughout her life.
After she graduated she also took some college courses to help prepare her for work, which was difficult to find during the depression. She was successful and landed a job at Pacific Telephone where she worked for 10 years, mostly as a comptometer operator. She worked until she married Silvio Belletto (D. 1995) September 13, 1941. Together they had 5 children: Kathleen (Chuck) Cammarata, Denis (Cheryl) Belletto, Jerry (D. 2020) (Sarah) Belletto, June (Alex) Pujo, Lita (Duffy) Wallach. Dixie and Silvio first lived in San Francisco, then Burlingame, CA where they brought up their family. In retirement they moved to Oakdale, CA to be close to Silvio’s mother. Later, they moved to Lodi, CA. Dixie and Silvio were married for 53 wonderful years.
Grandchildren: Adriene (Russ) Partanen, Oreste (partner Sarah) Belletto, Charlie Cammarata, Anton (Victoria) Diffenderfer, Michael (Kristin) Cammarata, Sharif Ben (Katy) Belletto, Tim (Joanna) Diffenderfer, Joe (Michelle) Cammarata, Sam (Uwey) Belletto, Patrick (Becky) Wallach, Julie (JL) Kaminsky, Kathleen Wallach.
Great grandchildren: Riley Partanen, Ben Partanen, Kaitlyn Diffenderfer, Joe Cammarata, Andrew Diffenderfer, Emily Diffenderfer, Justin Diffenderfer, Caroline Cammarata, Daniel Cammarata, Dessa Dixie Belletto, Lucy Lu Belletto, Heidi Cammarata, Gia Cammarata, Max Belletto, Scarlett Cammarata, Miles Belletto, Shayben Kaminsky, Joe Cammarata, Cameron Belletto, Lachlan Kaminski, Brooks Wallach, Lucy Diffenderfer, McKenna Wallach.
A special note of appreciation goes to Antonia Jarquin, Dixie’s caregiver and special friend for the last 5 years. A special note also goes to Dixie’s niece, Jeanne Hanson, who visited often and accompanied her on big things like vacations as well as little things like beauty parlor trips. Jeanne’s daughter, Therese Mangrich, also provided loving companionship. We all believe that Dixie is looking down from heaven with appreciation on the many others that made her life special.
Here are some of the activities that Dixie enjoyed throughout her long life: volunteer for Lodi Library Literacy Program, mentor to high school students at Health Careers Academy, trips to Ireland, Silvio and Dixie trips to the Mother Lode, drum lessons at 95. Lodi Community Concerts, SF and the beach, gym and lifting weights but mostly visiting gym friends, trips to Yosemite, Center for the Blind meetings/lunches, and, of course, a gazillion others.
A rosary will be held at the Lodi Funeral Home 725 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi at 6 p.m. on March 13 and there will be a Mass at St. Anne’s Catholic Church 215 W. Walnut St., Lodi at 10 a.m. March 14 followed by burial at San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Dixie’s name to Community Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired 2453 Grand Canal Blvd., Suite 5 Stockton, CA 95207-8259 (209)466-3836 info@communitycenterforth eblind.org
Obi-Wan shuddered February 16th.
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