Dixie Arlene Bair, the best friend, wife and mother you could ever have, has taken a much deserved rest as of December 13, 2022 at the age of 95 years old. Graveside services and burial were held on Friday, December 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bair Family’s burial site, in Osage Cemetery southwest of Agra.
Dixie was the ninth and last surviving child of Dennison and Ida May Jackson, born in Quay, Oklahoma on September 5, 1927. She had three older brothers and five older sisters. Dixie spent her formative years growing up in the Texas Oil Company (later known as Texaco) oil lease towns of Quay, Norfolk, Davenport, and Coyle. Her father was a foreman for the company and they moved to wherever his job took them. When Dixie was seven her father died, so they eventually had to leave the lease. The family moved to Cushing when Dixie was about ten years old.
Dixie attended Cushing schools, graduating from Cushing High School in 1945. When she graduated she earned a scholarship to a business college in St. Louis due to her excellent scholastic record, especially in bookkeeping and shorthand. But she turned it down because she could not see herself working in a stuffy office. Instead, she went to work at Woolworth in Cushing because she enjoyed working with people. She later worked for Southwestern Bell in Cushing as a telephone operator for twelve years. In the 1970s, while the family lived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the boys were in high school, she went back to work first at Snelling & Snelling Employment Agency and later in the camera department at K-Mart. Dixie first met Homer E. Bair on a blind date arranged by one of her friends. Apparently, this was one blind date that worked out well. They were married January 6, 1952 at the Cushing Methodist Church before Homer was shipped out to Korea in the spring. To this union were born two sons: Larry Keith on January 12, 1956 and Vinson Scott on June 13, 1958. Homer and Dixie were married for 70 wonderful years at the time of her passing.
Dixie placed her role as wife and mother above all else. She considered it an honor and a blessing from God to maintain a home for two ornery boys and a hardworking husband. Family was both her joy and her strength. She was the glue that bound our growing family together. One of her greatest pleasures was cooking and baking for family and friends. She also enjoyed crocheting afghans for many of our family members and friends. Something that we will treasure forever. Dixie also loved to sew, crewel, read mysteries and cookbooks, and solve all sorts of word puzzles. She was a member of the Laureate Nu chapter of Beta Sigma Phi from 1962 until she retired in 2014. Dixie is survived by her husband, Homer, sons Larry and Vinson, and Vinson’s son Scott and his wife Erica and children Cody, Jacob and Grant.
Dixie was preceded in death by her parents, Ida May and Dennison Jackson, three brothers: Leonard Jackson, H. Rudolph Jackson, Claude Jackson. And five sisters: Murrell Jackson, Cassie Johnston, Mildred Langston, Edith Tuttle, and Edna Holland. She also lost one grandson, Christopher Bair, the youngest son of Vinson Bair.
Services are under the direction of Matherly-Davis Funeral Home.
