Dixie Nell McLean

Born at the end of the Great Depression on January 18, 1939 outside of Mt. Pleasant, Texas she grew up in a small four room house on a little farm with her parents and older sister, Betty. The family was poor and worked hard. Although they had electricity, they had no running water. Since there was no plumbing, she used an outhouse until she married, and left home, in 1955. By the back porch, was a well where they drew their water for cooking, washing, and bathing. She often recalled taking baths, on the back porch, in a galvanized metal wash tub.

Surrounded by cows, hogs, chickens, geese, guinea hens, and mules, the family grew corn, cotton, watermelons, and sugar cane, where they made ribbon can syrup to sell for income along with selling eggs and milk. Her mother, Amerlee Samels, was a homemaker and helped her husband, Sam Samuels, on the farm. Annually, people complimented their large vegetable garden. Once, in the 1950's the County Agent inspected their corn stalks measuring nearly ten feet in height. Two cedar trees led to their gravel driveway lined with bright, yellow daffodils every spring.

Amerlee made the family clothes, and Dixie often spoke about being a child of "feed sack fashion". Trips were made to the local feed store to allow her to select which sack had the textile pattern she wanted for her newest dress. Amerlee spent hours of special effort to hide the fact they were using cotton sacks by soaking off the company logos, and adding sewing notions like buttons, rick-rack, and bows to the creations. They selected laying mash sacks for underwear because the fabric was softer. They made their own mattresses and pillows from white goose feathers and sewed four white feed sacks together for bed sheets.

Her life as a farm girl was often difficult. She milked ten cows every morning before school. She and Amerlee would put the milk in giant milk cans, take them to the house, and put them in barrels for the milk man to pick up. She recalled being excited when they earned enough money to purchase a kerosene stove to use as a heater. Her favorite radio series were Portia Faces Life, The Louisiana Hayride, and The Roy Rogers Show.

As a girl, she looked forward to the two-three times a year they had hog killing day. Some of her favorite memories were made then because neighbors would gather to help, and she enjoyed her time playing with all of the children. She attended Chapel Hill Schools where she played basketball and softball. She was an excellent student and worked to be at the top of her class always competing with her close friend, Fred Avery, for the highest grades.

In 1955, she met and married Bobby Joe Chapman who had returned from serving in the Army for two years in Korea. She was 16 and in the 10th grade, and even though several teachers tried to discourage her from dropping out of school, she did. The newlyweds honeymooned in Amarillo, and it was the first time she had ever seen an indoor shower. Not knowing how to use it, she sat on the shower floor and let the water spray down to her. They made their home in Mt. Pleasant, and by 1957, she gave birth to her only child, Kim.

In 1960 they settled in Longview, Texas. Dixie busied herself, while living on Ladd Street, with coffees, teas, garage sales, weekly Wahoo games, and was a long time member of the Pine Tree High School Band Booster Club. Things changed in 1975 when she entered the School of Nursing at Kilgore College. Even though she hadn't been in school for twenty years, she received an R. N. degree in 1977 and became a Recovery Room Nurse at Good Shepherd Medical Center shortly after passing the state board exam.

They closely followed Kim's activities through high School, as a Rangerette at Kilgore College, and when she became a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader in 1982. By 1985, they were absolutely thrilled with the birth of their first grandchild, Meredith. They doted on her, but it didn't last many years before Bob died from Lou Gehrig's Disease, when Meredith was three. Another granddaughter, Mackenzie, arrived the same year.

Three years later, Dixie married, Elmer Joe McLean, and gained two more daughters, Stacy and Wendy. She eventually retired from nursing, sold her home in Longview, and moved to his home in Edom. As an active member of the First Baptist Church, Dixie was on the Benevolence Committee for many years. She and Elmer enjoyed time camping at Lake Fork and traveling with family and friends in their travel trailer. During their quiet country life, they spent time hosting fish fries for everyone. Many games of Chicken-Foot and Rummikub were played around their table. She was a special lady known for her love of the colors yellow and pink and often laughing so hard there was no sound.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Amerlee and Sam Samuels; sister, Betty Samuels Hall; and her first husband, Bob Chapman.

She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Elmer Joe McLean; daughter, Kim Chapman Oden of Fairview and husband, Brent; daughter, Stacy McLean Reel of Hideaway and her husband, Jay; daughter, Wendy McLean May of Allen, and husband, Eric; grandchildren: Meredith, Mackenzie, Madeline, WenMei, and Aleah; great grandchildren: Ethan, Conner, Olivia, and Liam.

Flowers are permitted or memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Edom, 9714 FM 314, Ben Wheeler, Texas 75754.