Howard Ingram Dixon

Howard was born on November 7, 1921, near Rosston, Arkansas. As a young man, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, rising through the enlisted ranks with each successful assignment he completed. At the end of his almost 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force, he had risen to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, the highest available rank for a non-commissioned officer.

He met and married the love of his life, the former Bessie Mae Stamos, on August 17, 1941, in Seguin, Texas. Bessie Mae preceded Howard into Heaven on March of 2009. They shared almost 68 years of love and companionship as they raised a family together at various military bases across the country.

Howard is survived by his four children, Howard Wayne Dixon, Suzanne Dixon Balettie, Debra Dee Fite, and Michael David Dixon. His eleven grandchildren and an ever-growing number of great and great-great-grandchildren, are the continuing legacy of Howard and Bessie’s life and love together.

CMSgt Dixon served in World War II and the Korean War as a Flight Engineer on the B-29 Superfortress, stationed at Tinian Island in the Pacific Theater. He flew numerous combat missions over Japan and Korea during each of those conflicts. He served in the Vietnam War as well as, flying in a KC-97 Stratofreighter, providing critical refueling capabilities. The pinnacle of his career was being selected as Chief Engineer of the 3908th SSG – Strategic Standardization Group (later 1st CEG – Combat Evaluation Group), commanded by Strategic Air Command’s General Curtis LeMay.

After retiring from the USAF, Howard and Bessie moved to Austin in the late 1960's, opening a children’s clothing store named Mr. D’s Shoppe for Tot-n-Teen. They retired from that business some years later, settling down to enjoy their life together. We rejoice in the fact that Howard and Bessie are together again, celebrating their love for all eternity, and we look forward to the day that we will be with them again in Heaven.

The Funeral Service honoring CMSgt Dixon will be held at 3:30 P.M., on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, in the Chapel of Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home, with Interment and Full Military Honors immediately following at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Memorial Park. The family would welcome your presence, but in lieu of flowers, please donate to a Veteran’s Charity of your choice in Howard’s name to honor his service and sacrifice to the country that he loved so much.