Dixianne Margaret Keltner

Dixianne (Dixie) Margaret Keltner (née Spaan) was born June 9, 1937 in Bellingham, Washington,  and passed away on July 10th, 2020 in Sequim, Washington.  

She was born to John and Ruth Spaan, the owners of North Washington Implement Company, the John Deere dealer in Lynden, Washington.  During her youth she developed her natural musical talents, both vocally and at the piano. In her teens and throughout adulthood she nurtured a deep love for horses, a love that would shape much of her later life.

After graduating from Lynden High School in 1955, she briefly attended Whitman College and Western Washington State College before completing Flight Attendant training to become a stewardess with Northwest Orient airlines. With this she commenced a life filled with travel to many parts of the world.

During her marriage to Jack Keltner, she and Jack embarked on a three year sailing experience on their boat "Far Horizons" sailing from San Francisco to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and along the US and Canadian eastern seaboard.

Upon returning to California in 1980 she joined Western Airlines as a travel agent.  In 1985 upon her retirement her focus shifted from travel to horses when she relocated to Bend, Oregon. In Bend she kept active with horse training and volunteer animal shelter work.  In 2003 she moved to Sequim, Washington, bringing her back to her home state of birth.           

In Sequim, Dixie continued to work with her horses and was also a member of the Olympic Gentle Paws organization training and working with therapy dogs.

Dixie will be missed by her many friends and loved ones. The world has lost a wonderful friend.

She leaves behind a legacy of  friendship and charity to causes she dearly believed in:  Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation, Welfare for Animals Guild, American Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Association.