Dixie Rose Sawyer, beloved educator, went home to be with the Lord quietly at her home on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. She was surrounded by loving family.
She was born on Feb. 11, 1931, in Jonesville, North Carolina, to parents T. W. and Etta Rose. She is a graduate of Jonesville High School and earned her Bachelor of Science degree at East Carolina University. She continued her studies and got her Master of Arts degree from East Carolina University, and then continued post-graduate work at the Teachers College, Columbia University. In college, she met and married Milton Sawyer, Sr. In addition to her teaching degrees, she later obtained her real estate license.
Mrs. Sawyer loved and thrived teaching first grade at West Hollywood Elementary School in Hollywood, Florida. She retired after teaching for more than 35 years. Whether at school or in life, she could always be found teaching a small child how to read and write. Many times she would tell stories of children that would come back many years after graduating and thank her for taking such an interest in their lives.
In her later years, Mrs. Sawyer flourished as a mentor in her Breast Cancer Survivor Support Group, always desiring a way to give back and help others.
Mrs. Sawyer’s greatest love was her home church, Sheridan Hills Baptist, in Hollywood, Florida. Until the Lord called her home, she continued to have an unquenchable desire to read and study her Bible daily. Her favorite book in the Bible was Proverbs; she would read a chapter daily. Later she would tell her niece, Mary Byrd, that reading the Bible daily was the key to having a fruitful and successful life.
She is preceded in life by her father T. W. Rose and her mother Etta Rose, her brother James Rose, her sister and brother-in-law Lucy and Richard Barnard, her sisters Dottie Hutchens and Mary Blackman, her niece Shannon Gastrich, and her nephew James "Rocky" Dapp. Her memories will continue to be cherished by her surviving nieces and nephews, Tony and Lisa Barnard, Kevin and Mary Byrd, Thomas Dapp, Casey Sayles, Michael and Yexel Sayles, and Randall and Mary Etta Snow. Also cherishing her memories are her great-nieces, great-nephews, great great-nieces, and great great-nephews.
A memorial Service will be held at Arlington First Baptist Church in Jonesville, North Carolina, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. James Wingler officiating.
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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