Dixie, the second son of Shinar and Hettie Beckworth was born in Darien, Georgia on March 3, 1925. The family moved to Georgetown, SC where Dixie grew up along with his older brother, Kermit, and younger brother, Matthew and younger sisters, Virginia and Delores.
By the time the U.S. entered WWII his brother Kermit was already in the Navy. Dixie joined the Army as soon as he was old enough. Dixie was a sergeant during the war, and reenlisted in 1946 at the war's end.
Dixie met his wife, Shirley Marion Cobb at the end of WWII in Japan. Shirley was a Red Cross official there to help provide humanitarian services. (Shirley had previously been with the Red Cross in various places in Europe. She was with troops in Italy when U.S. troops occupied Rome). Dixie was assigned to be her driver when she arrived in Japan. At first he was not happy about the assignment, but once they got to know each other - the rest was history. They married on Nov. 3rd, 1953, in Carmel, CA.
Dixie and Shirley had no children, but traveled extensively and enjoyed a wide range of friends and their beach house and a cabin on Lake Tahoe owned by Shirley and her sister. Shirley owned a bookstore in Palo Alto for years.
Tragically, Dixie drowned in a boating accident at Lake Tahoe in 1965. Shirley never remarried.
**Please note: A LOVE STORY - "Sandy McTavish" was Dixie's dog and constant companion. Dixie drove by a house one day that had a poor sick looking dog chained to a tree. He convinced the owner to let him buy the dog. Dixie and Sandy were together for years. When Sandy died, Dixie had her cremated and his wish was for her to be buried with him. Dixie's wife, Shirley, had to covertly put Sandy's ashes in Dixie's casket. Which she lovingly did. Just a man and his dog together forever.
By the time the U.S. entered WWII his brother Kermit was already in the Navy. Dixie joined the Army as soon as he was old enough. Dixie was a sergeant during the war, and reenlisted in 1946 at the war's end.
Dixie met his wife, Shirley Marion Cobb at the end of WWII in Japan. Shirley was a Red Cross official there to help provide humanitarian services. (Shirley had previously been with the Red Cross in various places in Europe. She was with troops in Italy when U.S. troops occupied Rome). Dixie was assigned to be her driver when she arrived in Japan. At first he was not happy about the assignment, but once they got to know each other - the rest was history. They married on Nov. 3rd, 1953, in Carmel, CA.
Dixie and Shirley had no children, but traveled extensively and enjoyed a wide range of friends and their beach house and a cabin on Lake Tahoe owned by Shirley and her sister. Shirley owned a bookstore in Palo Alto for years.
Tragically, Dixie drowned in a boating accident at Lake Tahoe in 1965. Shirley never remarried.
**Please note: A LOVE STORY - "Sandy McTavish" was Dixie's dog and constant companion. Dixie drove by a house one day that had a poor sick looking dog chained to a tree. He convinced the owner to let him buy the dog. Dixie and Sandy were together for years. When Sandy died, Dixie had her cremated and his wish was for her to be buried with him. Dixie's wife, Shirley, had to covertly put Sandy's ashes in Dixie's casket. Which she lovingly did. Just a man and his dog together forever.
Dixie, the second son of Shinar and Hettie Beckworth was born in Darien, Georgia on March 3, 1925. The family moved to Georgetown, SC where Dixie grew up along with his older brother, Kermit, and younger brother, Matthew and younger sisters, Virginia and Delores.
By the time the U.S. entered WWII his brother Kermit was already in the Navy. Dixie joined the Army as soon as he was old enough. Dixie was a sergeant during the war, and reenlisted in 1946 at the war's end.
Dixie met his wife, Shirley Marion Cobb at the end of WWII in Japan. Shirley was a Red Cross official there to help provide humanitarian services. (Shirley had previously been with the Red Cross in various places in Europe. She was with troops in Italy when U.S. troops occupied Rome). Dixie was assigned to be her driver when she arrived in Japan. At first he was not happy about the assignment, but once they got to know each other - the rest was history. They married on Nov. 3rd, 1953, in Carmel, CA.
Dixie and Shirley had no children, but traveled extensively and enjoyed a wide range of friends and their beach house and a cabin on Lake Tahoe owned by Shirley and her sister. Shirley owned a bookstore in Palo Alto for years.
Tragically, Dixie drowned in a boating accident at Lake Tahoe in 1965. Shirley never remarried.
**Please note: A LOVE STORY - "Sandy McTavish" was Dixie's dog and constant companion. Dixie drove by a house one day that had a poor sick looking dog chained to a tree. He convinced the owner to let him buy the dog. Dixie and Sandy were together for years. When Sandy died, Dixie had her cremated and his wish was for her to be buried with him. Dixie's wife, Shirley, had to covertly put Sandy's ashes in Dixie's casket. Which she lovingly did. Just a man and his dog together forever.
By the time the U.S. entered WWII his brother Kermit was already in the Navy. Dixie joined the Army as soon as he was old enough. Dixie was a sergeant during the war, and reenlisted in 1946 at the war's end.
Dixie met his wife, Shirley Marion Cobb at the end of WWII in Japan. Shirley was a Red Cross official there to help provide humanitarian services. (Shirley had previously been with the Red Cross in various places in Europe. She was with troops in Italy when U.S. troops occupied Rome). Dixie was assigned to be her driver when she arrived in Japan. At first he was not happy about the assignment, but once they got to know each other - the rest was history. They married on Nov. 3rd, 1953, in Carmel, CA.
Dixie and Shirley had no children, but traveled extensively and enjoyed a wide range of friends and their beach house and a cabin on Lake Tahoe owned by Shirley and her sister. Shirley owned a bookstore in Palo Alto for years.
Tragically, Dixie drowned in a boating accident at Lake Tahoe in 1965. Shirley never remarried.
**Please note: A LOVE STORY - "Sandy McTavish" was Dixie's dog and constant companion. Dixie drove by a house one day that had a poor sick looking dog chained to a tree. He convinced the owner to let him buy the dog. Dixie and Sandy were together for years. When Sandy died, Dixie had her cremated and his wish was for her to be buried with him. Dixie's wife, Shirley, had to covertly put Sandy's ashes in Dixie's casket. Which she lovingly did. Just a man and his dog together forever.
