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Council Bluffs, IA: The Pottawattamie County Conservation Board, on behalf of Pottawattamie Conservation, would like to extend its deepest condolences to the family of Kelly Dix, who passed away earlier this week.
“The Pottawattamie County Conservation Board is heartbroken to hear of Kelly’s passing,” said board president Chris Ruhaak. “She was an incredible figure in our community and a steadfast supporter of conservation. Kelly will be greatly missed by the board and county staff.”
Dix proudly served on the conservation board in 2022 and 2023 and helped guide the department through exciting change and expansion of Hitchcock Nature Center. Prior to serving on the board, Dix dedicated 12 years to Pottawattamie Conservation, working as an environmental educator who led summer camps and outdoor education programs that served all ages.
Upon her appointment to the board in 2022, Dix shared this statement:
“The Pottawattamie Conservation programs and parks hold a special place in my heart and I am eager to assist with the essential conservation, education, and recreational opportunities they generate in southwest Iowa. Pottawattamie Conservation is a leader in its field, and as a former employee, I feel that I will bring unique and valuable insights to the board.”
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Kelly called Pottawattamie County home for more than 20 years. She graduated from Creighton University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and began working for Pottawattamie Conservation in 2003 as an Environmental Educator.
In 2015, Kelly joined the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, now the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, and served as the Vice President of Operations before stepping away from her role in late 2025 to spend time with her family.
Kelly was named to the 2016 class of 40 Greater Omaha, Sarpy County and Council Bluffs entrepreneurs, executives and professional men and women under the age of 40 (40 Under 40) by the Midlands Business Journal. She is a graduate of the Leadership Council Bluffs program, served on the Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands’ gala committee, was a board member for the Iowa Parks Foundation’s Loess Hills Missouri River Region, and was a member of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands’ Nonprofit Executive Institute Class 15.
Kelly is survived by her husband, Nate, and their four children.
Pottawattamie Conservation staff and board members, both past and present, are keeping the Dix family in their thoughts during this difficult time and hope they can find comfort knowing she had an incredible impact on our community.
