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Barry Walker Dixon, son of Ernest John Walker Dixon and Edith Muriel (Reynoldson) Dixon, was born at Craik, Saskatchewan on July 20, 1953. Barry has three sisters and three brothers: Dennis, Linda, William, Wayne, Brenda and Jo-ann. He was educated at Craik Public and Craik High School; the University of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1971-73; and the University of Regina. On October 15, 1977 Barry convocated from the University of Regina with the Junior Certificate in Local Government Administration.
On August 8, 1977, Barry commenced his employment with the Rural Municipality of Val Marie No. 17. Barry continued his studies with the University of Regina, while working full-time, and October 16, 1982 he received his Senior Certificate in Local Government Administration. Although Barry began work with the R.M. of Val Marie No. 17 with an “Acting Permit” he quickly earned all the certificates and qualification possible from the Department of Municipal Affairs, Board of Examiners. He received his “C” certificate on August 9, 1978; his “A” certificate on June 12, 1981 and his “Superior A” certificate on May 29, 1986. He was inducted into the Rural Municipal Secretary-Treasurers’ Association, now known as the Rural Municipal Administrators’ Association, on May 15, 1978. On June 5, 1988, Barry Dixon received his class “C” certificate from the Department of Education, Board of Examiners, which would allow him to work as a School Business Official.
Barry Dixon has been on the forefront of promoting the interests of the R.M. of Val Marie No. 17. Under his administration the R.M. of Val Marie was the first rural municipality to obtain permission of the Saskatchewan Municipal Board to invest funds other than specifically set out in the R.M. Act; municipal investment earnings have been consistently high. Barry implemented computerization of the municipality’s records. From May, 1982 to May 1986 he served as Director for Division 3 of the Rural Municipal Administrators’ Association.
In addition to his professional employment, Barry is involved in the family farm operation at Craik, Saskatchewan. In 1989, Barry purchased his first three quarters of land; and in 1995 he added an additional four quarters to his holdings. His brother Wayne and Barry operate their farming operations as one unit. Barry has always maintained his permanent, legal domicile at Craik, Saskatchewan.
Barry is a Notary Public and Marriage Commissioner for the Province of Saskatchewan.
Barry has always been active in the community and politics. While in Craik in the early 1970’s, he served on the Craik Local School Board, a member of the Prairie Pioneer Museum Association, and the Craik and District Board of Trade. In Val Marie he has represented the R.M. of Val Marie on nursing homes in Ponteix (The Manor) and Shaunavon (Southwest Nursing Home); on the Board of Health Region No. 1; and on the local Val Marie Library Board, of which he has been chairman since 1986. He has served on the executives of the Arm River Democrats and the Shaunavon New Democrats on the provincial level, and the Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia federal executive. In the 1982 provincial election he ran as a Western Canada Concept candidate, in a scheme cooked up amongst Bob Long, Dwain Lingenfelter and himself.
His candidacy in the Shaunavon constituency allowed Lingenfelter to come up the middle and survive the 1982 provincial election to sit as one of the “Gang of Eight” during Grant Devine’s first term of office. Barry canceled his membership in the New Democratic Party in 1992.
From June, 1986 to March 31, 1994, Barry was an elected member to the Board of the Whitemud Home care District No. 4 at Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. During that whole time, he served as treasurer to the Board. In 1992, Barry was appointed, by the Saskatchewan Home Care Association, to the committee which had been struck to review the provincial funding formula for funding of Home Care Districts.
Barry Walker Dixon was initiated into Freemasonry in Glenedyth Lodge No. 188, A.F.& A.M., G.R.S., at Climax, Saskatchewan on July 4, 1985. He was passed to the Fellow Craft Degree on October 3, 1985; and raised to the Master Mason’s Degree on November 7, 1985. He has served his lodge as Junior Warden, 1986 and 1992; Senior Warden, 1987 and 1993; Worshipful Master, 1988 and 1994; and as Secretary-Treasurer, 1995 - . In 1991-92, Barry served Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan as Grand Senior Deacon under Most Worshipful Brother Everett Snell. Barry Dixon was elected to the Board of General Purposes, Grand lodge of Saskatchewan, in June of 1992. He served on the Board of General Purposes until its reorganization in June, 1995. While on the Board of General Purposes he was a member of the Committee on Grievances and Appeals, 1992-93; History, 1992-94; Printing and Supplies, 1994-95; and the Masonic Youth Trust Fund, 1992-95. In June, 1995, Barry Dixon was elected to the Board of Trustees for the Benefit and Benevolent Funds, Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan.
District No. 8, Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan, comprising the southwest corner of the province, elected Barry Dixon as District Warden for 1994-95. At Grand Communication on June 17, 1995, Barry was invested as District Deputy Grand Master for District No. 8. On October 18, 1995 at the Grand Master’s Area meeting in Climax, Saskatchewan, R.W. Bro. Barry Dixon was honoured by being able to present M.W. Bro. Robert E. Chapman with his certificate as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan for 1995-96. Barry was elected as Grand Junior Warden of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan, A.F.& A.M., 1996-97. He served as Grand Senior Warden, 1997-98; Deputy Grand Master, 1998-99 and as the Most Worshipful the Grand Master, 1999-2000.
Barry Dixon is also a member of several concordant Masonic bodies; though he has not been as active in those bodies as in the Blue Lodge. He hopes to become more active in these bodies after he retires from his employment. On March 24, 1994 Barry received the exalted rank of the Holy Royal Arch; he is a member of Cypress Chapter No. 26, Royal Arch Masons, Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. On May 6, 1994 he was made a member of Knights Templar and is a member of the Sovereign Great Priory, Knights Templar, Damascus Perceptory No. 58 at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. On June 11, 1994 he was initiated into the Ancient Arabic Order of the Noble Mystic Shrine, Wa-Wa Temple, Regina, Saskatchewan and is a member of the Cypress Shrine Club at Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. He is also a member of King Solomon Lodge of Research No. 5986 at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Barry was initiated into Scottish Rite Masonry in Saskatoon on November 24 and 25, 1995 when he was made a member of the Lodge of Perfection and the Chapter of Rose Croix in the Valley of Saskatoon.
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