Dixie Merle Cook

Services for Dixie M. (Whitehead) Cook, 89, of Lufkin, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, November 29, 2012 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Bro. Jerry Chandler, Pastor Becky Love and Betty Jean Hendrick officiating.

Mrs. Cook was born September 1, 1923, in her cherished Oak Ridge Community of East Nacogdoches County, Texas. She was the youngest of seven children born to Willie Irene (Scott) and Conrad Whitehead. She passed away on Sunday, November 25, 2012.

Dixie graduated from Nacogdoches High School in January, 1941 after receiving early schooling at Oak Ridge. She attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where she earned a B.S. Degree in Business and a M.E.D. Degree in Elementary Education.

In 1943, Dixie began her teaching career at Diboll High School, Angelina County, Texas, and it was in Diboll that she married Robert Finley Cook, Jr. on February 17, 1944, after he returned from Marine duty in the Southwest Pacific arena. Upon his discharge from military service, the two returned to Diboll, where Dixie continued her teaching career, and where their only child, Rebecca Ann, was born at Lufkin Memorial Hospital on August 2, 1950.

Dixie’s 1965-66 school year took her to the Victoria Independent School District; her 1966-74 school years were in the Pasadena Independent School District, and then back to the Diboll District where she retired after 40 years of teaching.

Upon retiring in 1983, Dixie referred to all of her former students as her “KIDS”, and praised teaching as a wonderful profession – Dixie was raised in the Melrose Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, Texas First Baptist, and later moved her letter to Diboll First Baptist Church.

After her marriage in 1944, she joined her husband at Diboll First United Methodist Church. Dixie loved the Lord, as well as her family, relatives, former students, and ALL other acquaintances.

Survivors include her sister-in-law, Edres Whitehead Phipps of Montalba, Texas; nephews and nieces, Jack C. Sweeny and An of Diboll, Darla (Whitton) Shirley and James of Houston, David Whitton of Houston, Linda (Whitton) Fischer of Houston, Susan (Sitton) Stanaland and Edwin of Mabank and Joel Dan Whitehead and Nita of Montalba; 19 great-nephews and nieces; 12 great-great nephews and nieces; other cherished relatives, friends, and "MY KIDS".

Dixie was preceded in death by her husband, Robert F. Cook, Jr. on April 18, 1990; her only child, Rebecca Ann Cook on February 17, 1994; parents, Willie Irene (Scott) and Conrad Whitehead; sisters, Georgia (Whitehead) Whitton, Hazel Whitehead, Marie (Whitehead) and husband Leon Sitton, and Gladys Whitehead; and brother, Quinton Whitehead and Harvey Whitehead.

Pallbearers will be David Whitton, James Shirley, Jack C. Sweeny, Edwin Stanaland, Drew Shirley, Bart Shirley, Scott Fischer and Chuck Walker.

Honorary pallbearer will be Charlie Havard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Dixie's memory may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Diboll, 401 S. Hines, Diboll, Texas 75941.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home