Dixie Garbutt Young

Dixie Garbutt Young, beloved mother, exceptional grandmother, doting great-grandmother, and loving friend passed away quietly at her Carpinteria home on May 23, 2022.

Born in Los Angeles in 1935 to Frank and Princess Garbutt, Dixie grew up among the hills overlooking Silver Lake. After graduating Thomas Marshall High School in 1953 and attending Stephens College, she married Arthur G. Clarke and they had three children, Robin (Clarke) LaFevers, Timothy Clarke, and Matthew Clarke. In 1960, Dixie and Art crewed on the schooner Wanderer, sailing from Sausalito, California to Tahiti. Art and Dixie divorced in 1965. Shortly thereafter, Dixie moved her family to Carpinteria. She joined the Carpinteria Community Church and became deeply involved in the community, volunteering at soup kitchens and the women’s shelter among many others.

In 1981 Dixie met and married Lloyd Young, with whom she was blissfully happy for 36 years before he passed away in 2017. With Lloyd, Dixie formed Today’s Child Charitable Trust, and spent the next 25 years focusing on placing abandoned children in foster homes in Brazil. They worked closely with churches and Rotarians until Lloyd retired in 2006.

Dixie had a deeply developed spiritual life and was one of the original founders of Stillpoint, the Center for Christian Spirituality. She served on its board and acted as spiritual advisor for 20 years before retiring.

Dixie adored her family, friends, color, children, laughter, and handicrafts of all kinds. From fiber arts to paper arts, and everything in between she mastered them all, finding a deep sense of joy and self expression through her art.

She was a kind and loyal friend, wise and loving. She will be deeply missed all who knew her.
Dixie is predeceased by her husband Lloyd Young (2017) and her son Matthew Clarke (2021). She is survived by her children, Robin LaFevers (Mark) and Timothy Clarke (Susan), her grandchildren, Adam LaFevers (Ashley), Eric LaFevers, Tony Clarke, Corissa Davidson, and six great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 17, 2022 at the Carpinteria Cemetery pavilion. In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Dixie’s memory may make a gift to the Matthew Clarke Scholarship Fund at SBCCFoundation.org