Obituary of Dixie Dean Donelson Woodard

Dixie Dean Donelson Woodard, born in Huntley, Minnesota on August 20, 1922, passed away peacefully in her sleep during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Foxdale Village in State College, PA. She was 99 years old. A woman of great charisma and charm, Dixie spent an idyllic childhood on her parents 350 acre cattle farm located in the northwest corner of Missouri along the Iowa border. Here, her mind was allowed to wander and develop an imagination which drove her life as a "free spirit." She knew how to live in the moment. Dixie graduated from Hatfield High School as president and valedictorian of her class. She attended Graceland College (Lamoni, Iowa) prior to accepting a secretarial position at the Northwestern Life Insurance Company in Bethany, Missouri. Dixie moved to Kansas City to take a civil service appointment at the Farm Credit Administration. She also held other executive administrative positions that lead her to the Deputy Governor's Office. During World War II and as a federal employee, Dixie was transferred to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC. Here she met and eventually married her husband of 56 years, Robert L. Woodard, Sr. (Bob). Together they had two children and lived in Pittsburgh, PA; Santiago, Chile; Frederick, MD and State College, PA. Lifelong Methodists, Dixie and Bob were actively engaged with their church communities. Dixie was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College, PA. Over the years Dixie maintained a highly active social life. She was an avid golfer through her late 80's and she enjoyed her volunteer service in various organizations that included fundraising for The Pittsburgh Symphony and cashiering at the State College Woman's Club in to her 90's. Dixie enjoyed antiquing, shopping, playing games, and travelling near and far. Dixie held fond memories of her family which included 32 - first cousins, who she was proud to recall their names from regular childhood visits. Dixie was preceded in death by her parents (George and Ruth Donelson), brother (Harold Donelson) and husband (Robert L. Woodard, Sr). Surviving is her son, Robert L. Woodard, Jr. and his wife, Angelique (Port Matilda, PA), daughter, Shannon Dorman, and her husband, Ray (Orlando, FL) and her grandchildren, Chelsea Dorman (Silver Spring, MD) and Sabrina Dorman (Nairobi, Kenya). Dixie wanted others to know how much she appreciated them. Prior to her passing and in her own words, she wrote down and stated, "[I] thank all my relatives and friends for a wonderful life and thank God for a beautiful world." Family extends their gratitude to staff and friends at Foxdale Village (State College, PA) and beyond for their love, care, and support over the years. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) or St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College, PA.