The family of Walter “Red” Rixen and Dr. James Rixen, father and son, will continue to honor their memory and legacy of community support with a new endowed scholarship being made available to Waukon High School graduating seniors. The “Red” Rixen and Dr. Jim Rixen Scholarship will be first distributed at this year’s Waukon High School Senior Awards Program through the Allamakee Scholarship Fund, Inc.
Walter “Red” Rixen was born in Harlan and served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He began his teaching and coaching career at Waukon High School, where his 1953 and 1957 Waukon Indian football teams played to undefeated seasons. After completing a Master’s degree in Administration at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), Red went on to be a school principal at St. Ansgar, for many years at Grinnell High School, and also at Davis Elementary. He and his wife, Helen, retired back to Waukon.