Dixie Keith 'Didi' Bates

Funeral services for Dixie Bates, age 86, of Huntsville, will be held at 10 A.M., Friday, March 31, 2017 at the Cook Springs Baptist Church north of Huntsville on State Highway 75. Bro. Robert Nichols will officiate the service, and interment will follow in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Crockett, Texas. A public visitation is scheduled for Thursday, March 30th from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. at the Cook Springs Baptist Church.

Dixie Keith (Graves) Bates was born on July 12, 1930 in Stephenville, Texas to Jessie & Hazel (Keith) Graves. She was a graduate of Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas. Dixie met Jim while working at Ernest Allen Chevorlet in Fort Worth and married soon after in 1953. They were married for 63 years. Dixie was a homemaker and just recently told her family how grateful she was to have been able to stay home with her girls. She considered taking care of her family her most important job and loved doing so. In her spare moments, Dixie enjoyed visiting with friends, gardening and cooking. Dixie and Jim lived many places over the years and made lifelong friends while he was working for General Motors. Dixie had lived in Huntsville since 2005 when they moved from their farm in Kennard where they had originally retired. She was a member of the Cook Springs Baptist Church. Dixie went to Heaven on March 25, 2017 in Huntsville. She was preceded in death by both of her parents; husband, Jimmie D. Bates and youngest daughter, Jenny Bates. Dixie Didi will always be remembered for her smile and kindness towards her friends and family.

Surviving family members include daughter & son-in-law, Jacque & Howard Thornton of Huntsville; granddaughter, Lindsey Kilcrease (Jarod) of Franklin and great grandsons, Logan & Mason Kilcrease.

Madisonville Funeral Home in Madisonville is in charge of all arrangements.