Mom was born at Sandy Creek, Oklahoma, the youngest of eight children. When she was three the family moved to a farm near Foss. At the age of 11, the family moved again to be close to other family near Lubbock, Texas and continued farming. The wind blew, the crops would not grow and the Dust Bowl sent the family to California to the city of Bakersfield.
Mom had to make a big adjustment, moving from a one room school house that also doubled as a church to attend Bakersfield High School, one of the biggest high schools in the state at that time. The family worked hard and in less than three years they were able to buy property on which to farm. In his free time, her Dad built a house on the property. One day he came home laughing that there were enough red-headed boys down the street for each of his daughters still at home. He didn't know how to do the electrical wiring for the house. One of those red heads, who was still in high school, volunteered to do it for him. His name was Frank. He later became our dad.
Mom graduated from high school in 1939 and enrolled in college. Six weeks into her college career she contracted polio and spent weeks in the hospital recovering. When she was able to she went to work in retail clothing. When Pearl Harbor was bombed, Frank enlisted and was sent to Europe. From there he began writing to Mom and their long distance courtship began. Mom did well enough in her job that she was sent to Oceanside to manage a store there. After the war, in 1946, she and Dad were married. They moved to San Jose where Mom worked to put Dad through college.
In 1948, Dad was offered a teaching job in Selma, CA. It was there that they started and raised their family. We remember our childhood as pretty nearly perfect. Mom eventually went to work for Bank of America and worked there until she retired. After retirement, and a move to Fresno, she spent much time with grandchildren and pursuing the arts. Painting water colors was her favorite. She left us a treasure trove of paintings. Mom and Dad were married for 56 years. She was a joyful person who loved to laugh and make others laugh as well. She was the last surviving charter member of Peoples Church. Her life was centered around her love for her Savior, Jesus. Her love for Him showed in all that she did. She set an example for all of us as how to live a fulfilling, joy-filled life.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents, Zeke Nixon and Nora Brewer Nixon, her siblings Myrtle Allen, Doug Nixon, Eunice Leary, Ila Robertson, Athel Coffman, Mable Leary, and Nora Dimple Van Norman and her beloved husband, Frank. She is survived by her children, Norma and John Fowler, Marilyn and Tom Kelly, and Edward and Tammy Dobbs as well as 11 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, located at 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA 93720, on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
A memorial service will take place at Peoples Church, 7172 N Cedar Ave, Fresno, CA 93720, on Saturday, October 11, 2025, starting at 11:00 am.
