James Dale Dixon

James Dale Dixon, former resident of Brownsville, Tennessee, passed away on Friday, July 21, 2023, in Miami, Florida after a courageous battle with cancer.

To know James is to love him.  He never met a stranger whom he could not strike up a conversation, which endeared many people and developed friendships with special friends, Reba Gulledge and Scott and Joni Brackett.  He had an infectious smile and a silly sense of humor.  As a youth, he walked the Square to visit friends.  One of James’s favorite stops was Rankins Grocery where Bubba would treat him to a bologna sandwich, and he napped in the backroom.  The standing ovation that he received upon his graduation from Haywood High School in 1983 was a testament to how much he was admired and adored.  In Nashville, he made friends with the fire fighters at the Holly Street Fire Station #14.  In Miami, he had a three-wheeled bike that he rode around to visit his dear friends, Jorge and Madeline Perez.

James loved football at an early age and fulfilled his dream when he was #54 on the Tomcat team.  He was the #1 Auburn Tigers fan receiving exceptional attention and care from Coaches Pat Dye and Terry Bowden inviting him into the players’ locker room.  While he liked many pro teams, especially those that recruited Auburn players, he favored the Miami Dolphins even before moving to Miami.

James had many hobbies. He loved biographies and had a collection to rival a small town’s library.  He loved stuffed characters including the Peanuts, Muppets and Disney.  He loved to travel and always had a clean, new pair of “his trip shoes” along with his Snoopy watch, a book and a stuffed character.  Walt Disney World was his favorite place to go.  He loved classic TV like the Andy Griffith Show and Gilligan’s Island.  He could recite the lines.  He loved wrestling featuring Jerry “The King” Lawler.

James was preceded in death by Everette and Fern Dixon, his parents, and Edward Rue Dixon, a brother.  He is survived by a brother, Tom.  He leaves three loving and affectionate sisters, Jo Smith of Wildersville, Tennessee, Donna Mitcham (Jeff) of Auburn, Alabama, and Martha Akins (Kevin M.) of Miami, Florida as well as nieces and nephews (Mary Goodson (David), Lillie Kizer (Brian), Laura Vinson (Daniel), Debbie Sims (Taylor) and Sallie Rivenbark (Keith), Kevin D. Akins, Thomas Akins and Robert Akins), grandniece, grandnephews and Shirley Sellari, a wonderful godmother.

Graveside services were held on Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 9:30 AM, at Oakwood Cemetery in Brownsville, TN.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Elma Ross Public Library (a non-profit 501(c)3 organization), 1011 E. Main St., Brownsville, TN 38012. All arrangements and services are under the direction of the Lea & Simmons Funeral Home in Brownsville, TN.