Mary Ellen Mccabe

Mary E. McCabe, 66, of Waukon, IA, died Sunday, August 20, 2017, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Memorial services will be held Thursday, August 24, 2017 at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, where there will be a 3:30 PM scripture service.


Mary Ellen McCabe was born March 12, 1951, at the hospital in Waukon, IA, the daughter of William Peter and Helen Jeannette (Waters) Dixon. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church. On June 6, 1969, she graduated from St. Patrick High School in Waukon and on May 24, 1970, Mary received her diploma in general clerical from Northeast Area One in Calmar, IA. On March 19, 1994, she married Jerry Lee McCabe. She was very devoted to and passionate about caring for others, which was reflected in her choice of career. Besides being a certified home care aide for 27 years for Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, Mary ran her own in-home daycare for many years.


Mary was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. She loved baking and cooking and would help her mother cook at the sale barn café. Mary also enjoyed gardening and tending to her flowers. Family was a priority for her and she loved family gatherings and spending time with her grandchildren. She had a little comment for everything and everyone who met her was subjected to her quick wit.


She is survived by her husband Jerry of Waukon; son Troy (Christine) Dixon of Decorah, IA, and their children Jordyn, Lucas, Max, Isaac, Chloe, Gabbi, Gavin, and Claudia; daughter Tara (Matt Pemble) Dixon of Coralville, IA, and their children Stella, Mykenzi, Kierstyn, Gavyn, and Ayva; and her siblings: Joseph (Andrea) Dixon, William Jr. (Joyce) Dixon, Rita (Mike Schrandt) Dixon, Jim Dixon, Tom Dixon, Kelley (Alan) Wuennecke, Kevin (Jenny) Dixon, Shawn (Sondra) Dixon, Colleen Dixon, and Kerry (Shelly) Dixon. Mary was preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother John.


Honorary casketbearers are Eric, Ryan, Brady, Justin, Audra, Kramer, and Noah Dixon, Josh Wuennecke, Blake, Abby, Levi, Carly, and Alice Dixon, and Molly and Callie Shea.