Dixie Lee Phillips Kellerhals, 83, passed away on February 7, 2021 in New Braunfels, Texas. She was born May 10, 1937, in State Center, Iowa, the first child and only daughter of Lewis and Hazel Homer Phillips. Dixie was raised on a farm in Central Iowa starting school in Zearing in 1943 and graduating from the same school in 1955. Dixie loved sports and performing. She was a member of the girls’ basketball team, music groups, clubs, concert and marching band, a drum majorette, cheerleader and graduated as Salutatorian of her class. Her childhood ambition was to be a teacher so after graduation she entered Iowa State Teachers College where she was a member of Delta Delta Phi Sorority and received a two-year elementary teaching certificate in 1957.
Dixie met another ISTC student, Army veteran Paul Kellerhals, in the spring of 1957. They married on August 17, 1958, moved to Dike, Iowa where Dixie continued to teach Kindergarten and Paul finished college the next year and started coaching. The Berlin Crisis of 1961 resulted in Paul’s Army Reserve unit being called to active duty and their move to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona but they returned to Iowa a year later. During Paul’s coaching days, Dixie was a vocal and boisterous fan, particularly when she took her cowbell to games. The following year they moved again as Paul became a school principal—but not because of her cowbell. During the next few years Dixie was substitute teaching, even after they moved to Ft. Bliss, Texas in 1964. In December, 1965 Darbi joined the family and shortly thereafter Paul received orders to Vietnam so Dixie packed up and moved her new infant daughter, first to Baltimore while Paul trained and then back to her hometown of Zearing, Iowa. During Paul’s Vietnam tour Dixie managed to be a full-time mother as well as a substitute teacher and even found time to join a bowling team. In 1967 they moved to Ft. Sill, OK, for seven months followed by two months back at Ft. Bliss. 1968 the family moved to the Chicago area first to Hobart, IN, then to Wheeling, IL. Dixie served as the President of the Gary Officer’s Wives Club and volunteered at churches in both locations. In December 1969 Dixie managed the big move to Darmstadt for a one year stay in Germany. She thoroughly enjoyed the German traditions and camaraderie of the army wives, although living in three different sets of quarters that year was a bit much. She became a professional at moving, even with a toddler! They traveled to Berlin, France, Belgium and the Alps during this tour. In 1971 they returned to the U.S. and after a five month stay in Arlington, Virginia, where Dixie enjoyed the Capitol activities; she and Darbi participated in the Easter Egg Roll at the White House, military ceremonies at Ft. Myer and the Marine Corps Barracks as well as opportunities to sightsee in the Washington area.
Later in ’71 Dixie and Darbi moved back to Zearing, IA as Paul was again in Vietnam. Dixie was able to meet Paul in Hawaii twice that year, enjoying the beaches and a break from the Iowa winter. Upon Paul’s return, Dixie moved (a 15th time!) to set-up house in Ames, Iowa. In June of ‘72, Dixie was excited to welcome Kirk and Kai to the family from Vietnam. She was busy keeping up with Kirk’s toddler energy and nursed infant Kai back from a very serious illness. As a mother of three, she wasn’t expecting a fourth, but Erin was born in 1974. And because four children wasn’t enough, Dixie joined the Faculty Wives Club, Newcomers Club and enjoyed working out with the university’s swimming and volleyball exercise program. She and Paul were regular attendees at football, basketball and wrestling events. In 1976 the move was to Montgomery, AL for a year with the Air Force. The class was a close-knit social group and Dixie fit right in with other wives. Since she always loved to travel, and with even four youngsters, she managed itineraries to Disney World, the Florida beaches and sightseeing in the South. In 1976 the family moved to Hampton, VA, where Tara was born (a fifth “surprise”!) Since Dixie was then mother to a good percentage of the elementary school, she became President of the Cooper Elementary PTA. 1979 brought another big move, this time to Seoul, South Korea. Dixie again rose to the occasion and managed to get five children, a husband, and one loyal mutt, Pepper, across the globe and settled in to school, work, and tons of activities. She began teaching English to a wide variety of Korean groups (government managers, businessmen, medical doctors, social workers and college students), substituting at the Elementary School as well as participating in chapel groups PWOC, Couples of the Chapel and a weekly Bible study. She thoroughly enjoyed traveling around South Korea and the Korean food and culture.
In 1982, though sad to leave Seoul, the family moved to a new a destination, Nacogdoches, TX. After getting all five kids in school (from kindergarten to high school), her passion for helping others compelled Dixie to return to college and receive a BS in Elementary Education in 1984. As a mother of a child with special needs, she was drawn to focus on Special Education and after being selected to be a graduate assistant in the Guidance and Counseling Department, she taught reading to struggling college students and an introduction to teaching course. A year later she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a M.Ed. in Special Education and certification as an Educational Diagnostician and was inducted into the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. She was also a regular attendee and strong supporter of the SFA football and basketball teams. Her energy, drive, and commitment knew no bounds. As a full-time college student, she was also very active in each of her children’s school, sports, and extracurricular activities, being a frequent volunteer for Brownies, Girl Scouts, PTA fundraisers, and never missing a soccer, baseball, softball, basketball or gymnastics competition. And she was always the loudest cheerleader in the crowd! Because she was such a “super mom”, she was selected as Mother of the Year for Nacogdoches in 1984.
In 1986 the family moved again, this time back to Seoul, South Korea where Dixie was excited to move back into the flow of life in a major metropolitan area. She returned to teaching English, volunteering with the many organizations and again was active with all the chapel programs. Dixie was a charter member of the joint Korean/American Phi Delta Kappa education chapter in Seoul, an active member of the Special Needs organization and escorted orphans from South Korea back to their adoptive parents in the U.S. While in South Korea she managed to travel with Paul and five youngsters to Japan, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Okinawa and the Philippine Islands. Dix enjoyed all the trips, even the ones flying Air Force Space Available. Her first flight to Japan was on a C-130 sitting in the harness seats with military equipment chained down in the middle of the aircraft. As a huge sports fan, she was thrilled to attend the Olympic Games in Seoul in ’88, taking her three youngest children to multiple events.
In 1989 after moving back to the U.S., she became an Educational Diagnostician in the Killen School district working primarily with three elementary schools and the Developmental Center. She tested and placed hundreds of children in the district and collaborated with teachers, psychologists, principals and parents to create specific development programs for the needs of each child. She was the perfect blend of patience, smarts, caring and assertiveness to make an often challenging and emotional exercise successful.
After retirement in 2000, Dixie focused on her efforts on volunteer activities like the Special Olympics, visiting her grandchildren, and traveling the world. She was a coach, fundraiser and volunteer for Killeen-Cove-Hood Special Olympics where her daughter Kai competed in swimming, track and field, bocce, volleyball and bowling. The athletes loved a hug from Ms. Dixie, who always had a warm smile and an encouraging cheer.
From 1996 to 2007, Dixie was overjoyed to welcome 9 grandchildren to the world and was there after every child’s birth to change diapers, snuggle, and read to them. Over the years she likely read stories many hundreds of times to her ‘gang’. “Read it again, Granny” was a common cry. Granny also spent many evenings and weekends at volleyball, soccer, softball, cheerleading, track and pole-vaulting competitions, dance and piano recitals, PTA events for Veterans' Days, Christmas programs, Chilifest fundraisers, field trips, and taking Whataburger to school for lunch with the kids. She was a frequent guest at birthday parties, costume parties, graduation parties, and New Year’s Eve parties. She always made time to listen to tales of their day, share a laugh or joke, or play Barbies, cooking, or dress up.
In 2008 Dixie, Paul and Kai moved to New Braunfels, Texas. She became a member of the Comal Garden Club, enjoyed the Southbank “lunch bunch” and exercise/Tai Chi classes until health issues prevented her participation. And Dixie truly loved to travel. She went to Australia, England and Ireland with her daughter, Erin, and to Hawaii, Germany, France and Eastern Europe with Paul. They took many cruises to Alaska, Hawaii and the Eastern and Western Caribbean Islands, several of these with the family. She also really enjoyed the “Dixie’s Chicks” birthdays, annual long weekend trips with her daughters (the chicks) to various cities (San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Canton, and San Antonio), mostly for a show and sightseeing. Every Christmas, the family gathered in San Antonio for the River Walk and a Spurs game (she loved the nachos!) Dix never wanted to go somewhere she had already visited or seen, always seeking new sights or adventures. She was a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Phi Delta Kappa National Education Fraternity, American Legion Auxiliary, several teaching associations and had Lifetime Teaching Certification in Iowa and Texas.
As an Army wife for 30 years and an educator for 15 years, Dixie moved the home 27 times. She was an expert at organizing the household, scheduling activities and developing new friendships. Over the years Dixie volunteered in numerous locations including military thrift shops, hospitals, schools, orphanages and as a Special Olympics coach/chaperone. She was always “Mom” to all of her children’s friends. She never ended a communication with her grandchildren without saying “Granny Loves You”. In later years this even carried over to all that were close.
Dixie was preceded in death by her parents, Pooch and Hazel, brother Jerry and in-laws, Paul D. and Ruby Kellerhals. She is survived by her husband Paul, daughters Darbi (Todd) Murray of Hot Springs, AK; Kai, New Braunfels, TX; Erin, San Francisco, CA; Tara (Cody) Comstock of Corpus Christi, TX; and son Kirk (Madeleine) of Norfolk, VA. Ten Grandchildren: Edie Murray, Hot Springs, AR; Austin, Andrew, Lucas Kellerhals and Tyller Holden of Norfolk, VA; and Emily, Abigail, Owen, Caroline and Margaret Comstock of Corpus Christi, TX. Burial will be at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with a graveside service March 5 at 11:15 am. A memorial service with be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please donate to a special fund in honor of Dixie benefitting Special Olympics Texas. We hope to honor her thirty year’s work with Special Olympics by supporting the teams close to her heart.
https://www.givegab.com/campaigns/donations-in-loving-memory-of-dixie-lee-kellerhals
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