Sam Dixon (humanitarian)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Williams Dixon, Jr. (c. 1949 – 16 January 2010) was the Deputy General Secretary of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). He died in Port-au-Prince
while being rescued after the 2010 Haiti earthquake
.
Dixon was the son of Samuel Dixon Sr. and Mildred Dixon, and had three sisters. He graduated from Statesville High School, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and received his Doctor of Ministry
degree from Chicago Theological Seminary
.
Dixon began his ministry in 1975, and was pastor
of several North Carolina churches over the following 15 years, including Swepsonville
United Methodist from 1980 to 1984, and at churches in Sneads Ferry
, Durham
, and Swansboro
.
From 1990 to 1996, Dixon was on the staff of the United Methodist North Carolina Annual Conference
, doing special assignments. He returned to being a pastor from 1996 to 1998, spending two years at the First United Methodist Church of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
.
Dixon's 11-year career with the General Board of Global Ministries, which oversees UMCOR, started in 1998. He was an executive at the beginning of his employment, and became executive director
of the United Methodist Development Fund, the denomination's church building loan fund, in 2001. In 2003, he became Deputy General Secretary of Evangelization and Church Growth.
Dixon lead the UMCOR field operations unit, which deals with issues such as local health care, refugees, agriculture, small business development, and children who have been orphaned or been through war. He became head of UMCOR itself in 2007.
Dixon died at age 60 as a result of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
. About five minutes before the quake, a car dropped off Dixon at the Hôtel Montana
in Port-au-Prince
, along with Rev. Clinton Rabb, head of the United Methodist office of mission volunteers, and Rev. Jim Gulley, a UMCOR consultant and former missionary. The hotel was destroyed by the earthquake. All three were found in the hotel ruins 55 hours after the quake. Early reports said that Dixon had been saved, but it was later confirmed that he died before being rescued. The others were successfully evacuated from Haiti, but the Rev. Clinton Rabb died on January 17 in a Florida hospital, from injuries sustained during the building collapse.
He and his wife Cindy resided in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
, at the time of his death. He was also the father of four children.
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
while being rescued after the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
Dixon was the son of Samuel Dixon Sr. and Mildred Dixon, and had three sisters. He graduated from Statesville High School, attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and received his Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
degree from Chicago Theological Seminary
Chicago Theological Seminary
The Chicago Theological Seminary is a seminary of the United Church of Christ. It prepares women and men for leadership in the church and society through Master of Divinity , Master of Arts in Religious Studies , Master of Sacred Theology , Doctor of Ministry , and Doctor of Philosophy programs...
.
Dixon began his ministry in 1975, and was pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of several North Carolina churches over the following 15 years, including Swepsonville
Swepsonville, North Carolina
Swepsonville is a town in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
United Methodist from 1980 to 1984, and at churches in Sneads Ferry
Sneads Ferry, North Carolina
Sneads Ferry is a census-designated place in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, and Swansboro
Swansboro, North Carolina
Swansboro is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. In 2007, the estimated population was 1,540. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
From 1990 to 1996, Dixon was on the staff of the United Methodist North Carolina Annual Conference
North Carolina Annual Conference
The North Carolina Conference is an Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. This conference serves the eastern half of the state of North Carolina, with its administrative offices and the office of the bishop located in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is part of the Southeastern...
, doing special assignments. He returned to being a pastor from 1996 to 1998, spending two years at the First United Methodist Church of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,957 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
Dixon's 11-year career with the General Board of Global Ministries, which oversees UMCOR, started in 1998. He was an executive at the beginning of his employment, and became executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the United Methodist Development Fund, the denomination's church building loan fund, in 2001. In 2003, he became Deputy General Secretary of Evangelization and Church Growth.
Dixon lead the UMCOR field operations unit, which deals with issues such as local health care, refugees, agriculture, small business development, and children who have been orphaned or been through war. He became head of UMCOR itself in 2007.
Dixon died at age 60 as a result of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. About five minutes before the quake, a car dropped off Dixon at the Hôtel Montana
Hôtel Montana
The Hôtel Montana was a hotel in the Pétionville suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Built in 1946, the hotel was a popular four star tourist resort until the main building collapsed along with most buildings in the city during the 2010 Haiti earthquake...
in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, along with Rev. Clinton Rabb, head of the United Methodist office of mission volunteers, and Rev. Jim Gulley, a UMCOR consultant and former missionary. The hotel was destroyed by the earthquake. All three were found in the hotel ruins 55 hours after the quake. Early reports said that Dixon had been saved, but it was later confirmed that he died before being rescued. The others were successfully evacuated from Haiti, but the Rev. Clinton Rabb died on January 17 in a Florida hospital, from injuries sustained during the building collapse.
He and his wife Cindy resided in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,957 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, at the time of his death. He was also the father of four children.
External links
- "Samuel W. Dixon, Jr.: Man of Faith and Compassion" — UMCOR obituary press release with detailed information