Dixie E Whiteman

Born in Cedartown, Georgia, to Mr. Edgar G. Edwards and Mrs. Mano Edwards, Dixie lived a life defined by faith, determination, generosity, and an unwavering devotion to her family. She was a woman of remarkable intelligence, an extraordinary work ethic, deep compassion, and a spirited personality that left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

After earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, Dixie began her professional career with Eastern Air Lines. She later earned her Master of Professional Accountancy from Georgia State University and became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) at a time when few women entered the accounting profession. Often the only woman in her graduate accounting classes, she believed success came through preparation, perseverance, and hard work. Her favorite saying, "All knowledge is good knowledge," reflected her lifelong belief that learning never ends.

She later joined her beloved husband, Edgar R. Whiteman Jr., in owning and operating Smyrna Container Company for more than fifty years. While Ed oversaw the day-to-day operations, Dixie served as the business strategist and financial leader. Together they built a respected company and an extraordinary partnership rooted in trust, integrity, and mutual respect.

Anyone who knew Dixie also knew she had a little fire in her. She had strong opinions, wasn't shy about sharing them, and if she believed she was right...well...changing her mind wasn't always an easy task. That determination helped her earn the respect of customers, employees, family, and friends alike.

Although she was deeply committed to her work, Dixie's greatest priority was always her family. Friends often wondered how she managed everything. After spending a full day helping lead the business, she would still come home to have a hot dinner waiting for Ed. She never believed career success and family devotion were competing priorities. To her, they were simply different ways of caring for the people she loved.

Dixie and Ed were true partners in every sense of the word. Whether building a successful business, creating a beautiful home, or spending weekends landscaping, painting, repairing, and tackling one project after another, they genuinely enjoyed working side by side. Their life together reflected a shared love of building—not only a business, but a home, a family, and a life together.

She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people. Whether speaking with an employee, customer, neighbor, or someone she had just met, Dixie made people feel valued. She listened carefully, spoke honestly, and offered thoughtful advice that people trusted.

Her generosity quietly touched countless lives. She welcomed young people and young families into her home when they needed a place to stay, offering encouragement and support without ever seeking recognition. She believed that if she had the ability to help someone, she should.

Her faith was central to her life. As a Sunday School teacher at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Dixie found great joy in sharing her faith and encouraging others. Whether through her church, her business, her friendships, or her family, she believed that investing in people was one of life's greatest callings.

Dixie loved gardening, sailing, traveling, being actively involved in local politics, and discovering new places. She believed the world itself was a classroom and delighted in sharing those experiences with her family. She encouraged those around her to remain curious, embrace new opportunities, and never stop learning.

Above every accomplishment stood the people she loved most. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and an incredibly proud grandmother whose greatest joy came from watching her family grow.

She is survived by her daughters, Carrie Layton and Amelia Delvalle; her sons-in-law, Corey Layton and Tony Delvalle; and her beloved grandchildren, Emmaline Layton, William Layton, Alexandre Delvalle, Eloise Delvalle, Arthur Delvalle, and Édouard Delvalle.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edgar R. Whiteman Jr.; her brother, Charles Edwards; and her parents, Mr. Edgar G. Edwards and Mrs. Mano Edwards.

A graveside service celebrating Dixie's life will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., followed by a reception for family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Lifeline Animal Project in honor of Dixie's lifelong love of animals.

Dixie leaves behind a legacy measured not simply by her accomplishments, but by the lives she enriched. Whether it was her knowledge, her time, her home, her faith, or simply her encouragement, Dixie believed life's greatest rewards came from investing in other people. She measured success not by what she accumulated, but by what she could give away.

She will be remembered for her strength, generosity, wisdom, spirited personality, unwavering faith, and devotion to family. Her influence lives on in the family she cherished, the business she helped build, the lives she enriched, and the countless people who were better for having known her.