Lilian G. Dixon

Schenectady—Lillian G. (nee Olar) (formerly Hanham) Dixon born Aurora, Ill 7/17/1926, died peacefully of natural causes in her home on 3/24/2026 in Schenectady, NY at the age of 99 years.

She studied dance as a young girl in Aurora Ill with Mary Fuller and Jean Mulleins who were trained by Ruth St Denis, an early pioneer of creative interpretive dance and the founder of Jacob’s Pillow. Lillian started her career as a professional dancer at the age of 15 with the Chicago Lyric Ballet and as a multi-faceted dancer in NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago and the Mid West during World War II. Eventually she became well known as a creative dance teacher and choreographer in Toledo and throughout Northwest Ohio in the communities of Bryan, Napoleon, and Defiance. She taught all forms of dance and served as the Cultural Arts Specialist of the Toledo Jewish Community Center for several years, was choreographer for Lynro Productions and several high schools in the Toledo area from 1965 through 1982. She married her second husband Thomas J. Dixon in 1977 and moved with him to Buffalo, NY in 1986. Always an avid purveyor of creative and world dance forms, she was a gifted teacher of modern, classical ballet, musical comedy, jazz, tap, and world dance genres. She developed a special interest to study, teach and choreograph folkloric and historical dances of the Middle East, Hawaii, and North Africa. She choreographed routines for the Buffalo Jills dance team, and taught creative movement dance classes and tai chi for senior adults at the Buffalo Senior Center in Williamsville, NY. Eventually she retired and moved from Buffalo to live near her daughter and son-in-law in Schenectady, NY where she continued to teach small classes and coach private students until her early 90s.

She was predeceased by her husband Thomas J. Dixon, her son Homer William (Bill) Hanham Jr., her sisters Lena Meino, Olga Boudreau, Edna Olar, Betty Jane Dering, step-sister Helen Barncord, step-brother Lawrence Surdukan, and her beloved niece Judith Ann Barnes. She is survived by her daughter Connie Hanham Cain and son-in-law Benjamin Cain of Schenectady, NY, step-daughter Priscilla Dixon of Streamwood, Ill and several nieces, nephews and great grand nieces and nephews in Illinois.

A private memorial and celebration of life will be arranged by her immediate family to be held in May for family, friends, and former students.