Dixie was born on January 21,1934 to Cecil and Edna Willard at her maternal grandparents home (Jack and Flora Lewis) in Brunswick, Mo.

Dixie moved to Marshalltown, IA. in 1947 and graduated high school in 1951. Dixie married her high school sweetheart Merl Stevens on February 8, 1952. Dixie worked for many years at Alliant Energy in Marshalltown where she retired from in November 1991, before moving to a quiet acreage in southern Iowa that her and Merl loved dearly. Dixie had many hobbies that she enjoyed, including macrame, oil painting, ceramics, crafts, and most of all enjoying the country life with her dear husband Merl.

Dixie is preceded in death by her parents Cecil & Edna Willard, brother Gary Willard, sisters Rosemary Willard, Jean Yarbrough and Melody Anne Burk, nephew Glenn Burk, brother in law Ray Stevens, sister in law Louise Stevens, her in laws Asa & Hannah Stevens, many other nieces & nephews, and her loving husband of 70 years, Merl Stevens.

Survivors include niece Doris Bonell, brother in law Roger Harvill, niece Pam Yarbrough, nephew Gary Burk, nephew Jeff Tinsley, and other nieces & nephews. Per her wishes cremation rites have been accorded and Merl & Dixie will be buried at the Albion cemetery next to Merl’s parents Asa & Hannah at a private ceremony.