Minister R. Elayne Nix, age 74, retired educator, was called home to be with the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008. She was born March 13, 1934, in Taylor, Texas, the eldest of three, to the late Willie and Bernetta Woodson and had been a Ventura County resident for over 50 years.

Elayne attended and graduated from Blackshear/O.L. Price High School and graduated from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas, in 1955 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Teaching Credential.

On Nov. 18, 1955, she was united in marriage to Norman R. Nix in Taylor, Texas, and to this union were born three children.

In 1957, Norman and Elayne moved to Oxnard, Calif., on military orders and united with the Trinity Missionary Baptist Church. Being a military family that was on the move, Elayne taught school in England, Germany, Texas, Northern California, and in the Oxnard and Port Hueneme school districts.

Currently Elayne was a member of St. Paul Baptist Church of Oxnard, where she was licensed and ordained as a minister, served on the ministerial staff, president of the Dorcas Circle, and a member of the Prison Ministry. She has held several offices in the Western Baptist State Convention of California and was presently the president of the Womens Auxiliary of the Central District Association.

Elayne was founder and director of the R.E.S.P.O.N.D. Outreach Ministry that provides food averaging 500 individuals each month. She was serving as a member on the Commission of Homelessness for the City of Oxnard. She also served as a member of the Board of Directors of FOOD Share, Ventura Countys food bank.

Elayne is survived by her husband of 53 years, Norman, her three children; son, Stirling Glen Nix (Nadia); daughters, YNasmin Nix and Janetta Nix-Thomas (Charles) of Oxnard; two special daughters, Adelaide and Bindu During, of New York; four grandchildren, Benjamin, Sarah, Hannah, and Olivia; sister, Ruby Darlene Graham (Gary) of Killeen, Texas; brother, Curtis Woodson (Shirley) of Denver, Colo.; a special person in time of need, Debbie Dent. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

• The Home Going Celebration for R. Elayne Nix will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008, at the St. Paul Baptist Church, 1777 Statham Blvd. in Oxnard. Bishop Broderick A. Huggins, pastor, will officiate.
• Interment will be at the Conejo Mountain Memorial Park in Camarillo.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Garcia Mortuary, Oxnard, CA