Dixie M Duke

Dixie Mozell Wilbanks Duke was born in Brady, Texas on January 9, 1942 to Lloyd Allen, Sr. and Abbie Mozell McMillan Wilbanks. She passed gently and painlessly away July 21, 2018 in San Angelo, Texas.

The Wilbanks family lived at Doole, Texas until 1945 when they bought a ranch and moved to the Bethel Community in Southeast Runnels County near Ballinger, Texas.  Dixie lived on the ranch until leaving for college in 1960.  Ann Wilbanks Hays, Lloyd Allen Wilbanks, Jr. and Malesia Kay Wilbanks Parker were added to the family through the years.

Dixie graduated from Ballinger High School in 1960 and entered Howard Payne College the same year.  She graduated from Howard Payne in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree and teaching certificate.  Dixie taught public school for thirty years.  Most of that time was in Gatesville, Texas.

At Howard Payne, Dixie met Carroll Dean Duke, a recently discharged Army veteran.  They began dating in 1963 and were married June 13, 1964 at First Baptist Church in Ballinger, Texas.  Carroll and Dixie lived in Brownwood and Irving before settling in Gatesville in 1967. Sons Greg and Kevin were born when the Dukes lived at Gatesville.  In 2011 Carroll and Dixie moved into the Rio Concho West Community in San Angelo, Texas.  Dixie resided at The Springs of San Angelo Memory Care Center from April 17, 2017 to July 21, 2018.

Dixie was preceded in death by her father, Lloyd Wilbanks; mother, Mozell Wilbanks; brother, Allen Wilbanks, and a precious brother-in-law Grider Hays.  She is survived by her husband, Carroll of San Angelo; son Greg of San Angelo; son Kevin and daughter-in-law Jeanne of Ballinger and grandchildren Emma, Riley, Katy, Dixon, and Owen Duke.  She is also survived by sisters, Ann Hays and Kay Parker; brother-in-law, Chester Parker; nephews, Travis and Mason Parker; nieces, Kelly Hays and Abby Trimble; uncle, Leroy McMillan; aunt, Margie Curry as well as a host of cousins including first cousins Billie Marie VanCourt, Sammie Palmer and Angie Potter.

Dixie’s funeral will be conducted at Lange Funeral Home, 1910 Hutchings Ave., Ballinger, Texas on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 11:00 am.  Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Ballinger. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service.

The family requests memorials to be made to the Alzheimer Association of your choice.  Guests may register at ballingerfuneralhome.com.