Palestine High School Alumni Association

12 / 05 / 1940  –  01 / 21 / 2011

Janette Overton Dixon was lovingly received into the presence of her precious Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and God the Father in the early morning hours Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, with her family at her side. On this earth and now in heaven, she is the daughter of the King, united with the God she loved, worshiped and served with boundless, vivacious enthusiasm since committing her life to Him as a young child.

Janette was a daughter given by the Lord to Lily May Morriss and Andrew Jackson Overton Jr.  Dec. 5, 1940 in Palestine. She is survived by her husband, Don P. Dixon of San Antonio; sons, David Patrick Dixon and wife Tiffany of San Antonio and Douglas Paul Dixon and wife Laura of Comal County; brother, Andrew Jackson Overton III and wife Patricia of Palestine; and eight grandchildren.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin and subsequently taught middle school geography and history in that city.

Following marriage to Don, her loving husband of 45 years, she moved to San Antonio where she was deeply involved in her church and community. Janette was a Sunday School teacher and involved in women’s ministry at Castle Hills First Baptist where she chaired a Women’s Concerns Conference that influenced the lives of women throughout the city. She was active for a number of years in Bible Study Fellowship, an international organization committed to concentrated Bible study.

Her community activities included substitute teaching and volunteering at San Antonio Christian Schools where her sons attended. She served as an associate board member for the Baptist Health Systems and volunteered locally on the National Day of Prayer Committee.

Janette was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Alamo Mission Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. With the latter organization, she served in numerous capacities but felt a great commitment to San Antonio school children as education chair four years. Within the last few months, she launched a project for creating and publishing an exquisite series bookmarks for local school children. Each bookmark chronicles a life of a founder or hero instrumental in establishing The Republic of Texas. It is her legacy to DRT and will debut in a March ceremony at the Alamo honoring local public school districts. Janette was also a co-author of the DRT’s Long Barrack Museum Book.

Janette was blessed with innumerable lifelong friends who were attracted to her bright and joy-filled spirit. Never focused inward, Janette loved genuinely and generously while sharing her myriad gifts and talents with each person whose life she touched. In her heart was divine purpose — that God might be glorified, that others might see Him through her love and commitment and that many might come to know Him as Savior. Her life epitomizes one of her favorite Bible verses — “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24 (RSV) The source of her strength and commitment is found in Psalm 62:5 and underlined in her own Bible, “For God alone my soul waits in silenced, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24, 2011, at Sunset Cemetery in Mountain Home. A memorial celebration service will follow at 3 p.m. at Castle Hills First Baptist Church in San Antonio officiated by Chaplain Gil A. Stricklin Sr. and Rev. George Harris.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Castle Hills First Baptist Church in San Antonio.

The family invites you to send condolences atwww.grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “Send Condolences” link.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.

Palestine Herald Press 01 / 23 / 2011