April 11, 1935 – February 22, 2023

Dixie Jean White, 87, of League City, Texas passed away peacefully on February 22, 2023. Dixie was the youngest of six children and was born on April 11, 1935, in Grosvenor, Texas to Jewel and James Furry. Dixie’s father had passed away shortly before she was born on March 31, 1935. Her mother Jewel (Mama Jewel) remarried a few years later to Bill Everett (Papa Bill) and together they raised Dixie and her brothers and sisters in Brownwood, Texas. 

Dixie attended Brownwood High School where she was a Majorette and a Cheerleader. She also loved to water ski and was a member of the Waterski Team in Brownwood where they performed shows including the skiing pyramid formation popular in the 1950s. She graduated from high school in 1953.

Dixie met the love of her life, Ken White, on a double date. Dixie and her friend agreed that whoever ran the fastest got to pick their date for the evening, as that had not yet been decided. Dixie ran the fastest, and she picked Ken. They were married on September 11, 1954. Within two weeks of their honeymoon, Ken was drafted into the Army and sent to Panama. Dixie went with Ken to Panama where she worked as a secretary for the base commander.  

After the Army, they moved to Houston and welcomed their first son Bobby in November 1956, followed by a daughter, Terri, in September 1959, and another son Brett in February 1962.  The family lived in several places as they raised their three children including Pasadena, Houston, and Friendswood.  In 1982, they moved to Temple, Texas so they could begin their plans of renovating an old house in Granger, Texas – lovingly called “the Farm.” They completed the renovation in 1985 and moved to Granger, where they lived until November 2014, when Ken passed away. Dixie moved to the Cottages, a memory care facility in League City, in December 2014.

Dixie was known for her infectious smile, fun loving spirit, and she always made everyone feel welcome. She never met a stranger and put all those talents to good use as the president of the Friendswood Welcome Wagon back in the late 70’s. However, her ultimate passion was teaching. She was a teacher’s aide at many of the Friendswood schools and after moving to Granger, she decided to go to college. Dixie graduated with a degree in Education from Mary Hardin-Baylor (MHB) in 1987.  She was so excited when the student body at MHB nominated her President of her class.  She enjoyed a 15+ year teaching career and taught at several elementary schools in Temple and Austin. Dixie and Ken were members of the Bartlett United Methodist Church where Dixie taught Sunday School, vacation bible school, and participated on many committees.

One of Dixie’s favorite roles in life was being a grandma to her two grandsons, Cameron and Chase.  Over the years, the boys spent many weeks in the summer with Ken and Dixie and treasured the time they spent at the Farm.  Dixie was also a very skilled bridge player and enjoyed her bridge club during her time in Granger. She was equally skilled at Texas 42 dominoes and Spades, and there were many Texas 42 tournaments and “two-stepping” at the Farm from the Labor Day Weekend Crew. You know who you are. Dixie and Ken fondly talked about those special weekends.

Our sweet Dixie will be dearly missed by family and friends. The family would like to give a special thank you to the staff and nurses of the Cottages for the special loving care and attention they gave to Dixie the last years of her life.

Dixie was preceded in death by her husband Ken White, her son Bobby White, her three brothers – Myrl, Wayne and Howell Furry, and her two sisters – Ruth and Dorothy and her parents. She is survived by her daughter Terri White, son Brett White and his wife Stacey, her daughter-in-law Linda White, her grandson Cameron White and his wife Stacey and their children Eli and Avery Joy, and her grandson Chase White and his wife Sierra.

Friends are cordially invited to the visitation with the family on Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. with the memorial service to follow at 2:00 P.M. at Jeter Memorial Funeral Home, 311 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, Texas 77546 (281) 992-7200.  A private family burial will be held in Bartlett, Texas at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either The Foundation for Hope Village in Friendswood or the Cottages at Clear Lake in League City.