William C. Dixon, lawyer, entrepreneur, and arts advocate, has died at 65

William C. Dixon, 65, of Philadelphia, longtime lawyer, energetic entrepreneur, and passionate arts advocate, died Friday, July 7, of metastatic lung cancer at his home in West Mount Airy.

Eclectic in his interests, naturally driven to achieve, and committed to helping others succeed, as well, Mr. Dixon combined his expertise in the law and an innovative business sense to launch several profitable start-ups and establish his own law firm that specialized in personal injury cases and small-business development.

“He was the greatest human manifestation of determination I have ever witnessed,” said law school colleague Clay Armbrister.

Mr. Dixon cofounded Gold Coast Trading Co., Greene Street Pharmaceuticals, ProSolus Pharmaceuticals, and Scilex Pharmaceuticals, and helped organize many other start-ups. In the courtroom, he worked as a deputy county attorney in New York in the 1980s and later as an associate and senior attorney for firms in Philadelphia and Boston.

He founded Dixon and Associates in 1987, he said on his website, to “bring the experience and mindset of a large law firm to benefit individuals. … It’s a deeply personal approach not found in many law firms in the Philadelphia region.”

He worked with the Urban League in New York as a young man, was interested in politics and current events, and filled his Philadelphia home with original art, especially contemporary African American abstracts. He served on the board of directors at the Brandywine Workshop and Archives, and was a trustee for the Philadelphia Dance Co.

“Bill’s great smile, curiosity about the creative process, and joy of learning what inspires artists will be remembered,” Allan Edmunds, founder of Brandywine Workshop and Archives, said in a tribute. U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans said: “Our communities are made stronger by the Bills of the world.”

In a letter of condolence to Mr. Dixon’s wife, Kimberly Turner-Dixon, Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr. Dixon “approached life with an empowering sense of adventure and determination. Still, his greatest passion was his family.”

William Charles Dixon was born Oct. 26, 1957, in Rockville Centre, N.Y. He was a teenage tenor in the Nassau County choir, won statewide recognition from the American Legion for his interest in local government, and developed a fascination with the law after watching TV lawyers Perry Mason and Owen Marshall.

He worked nights to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science at Syracuse University in 1979 and a law degree at the University of Michigan in 1982. He married Phinorice Boldin, and they later divorced. He married Duniya Lancaster, and they had son Gabe.

“My goals are to make societal contributions and continue personal development while fulfilling my commitment to help disadvantaged citizens whenever possible.”

After a second divorce, Mr. Dixon met Kimberly Turner on a blind date in 2003. “It was like we had known each other for years,” she said. They married in 2007, had daughter Kendall, and lived in West Mount Airy.

Mr. Dixon was an avid gardener and tended buzzing beehives in his backyard. He was active with the Philadelphia chapter of Jack and Jill of America, spent a semester in France as a college student, and so impressed community leaders on a visit to Ghana that they held an official celebration in his honor.

“Bill was friendly to everyone regardless of their attitude or disposition,” said Sandi Williams, a longtime friend who introduced Mr. Dixon to his wife. “We used to tease him, saying, ‘Here comes the friend of the friendless.’” College friend Ted Goldman said: “For Bill, the world really was his oyster.”

Mr. Dixon was a devoted father and husband who crafted sentimental handwritten cards for his children and attended to every detail on date nights with his wife. He arranged memorable camping trips and family vacations, and sprinkled almost every conversation with his signature “NMW” reminder that he was there for everyone “no matter what.”

“He had a way about making things positive,” his wife said. “He was a calming force.”

He eschewed his hometown New York sports teams to root for the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers, and was a regular at many local coffee shops and bakeries. “My father embodied resilience and positivity, leaving an indelible mark on my life,” his daughter said. “His expressions of love were beautifully simple.”

His son said: “His passion turned the mundane into the marvelous. … We found joy together regardless of the situation we were in, perfect in an imperfect circumstance.”

In addition to his wife, children, and former wives, Mr. Dixon is survived by a sister and other relatives.

A celebration of his life was held July 14.

Donations in his name may be made to the Brandywine Workshop and Archives, 730 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146.