Dixie Lee Wilson, 78, Sturgis, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on March 3, 2015, while in the care of the Lippold Hospice Suite at Sturgis Regional Hospital. She is survived by her husband, Jerry Wilson, and their two children, Tyler and Teresa Wilson.

Dixie was one of three children born to Frances and Leander Seefeld on August 25, 1936. The two other siblings of the triplet trio are Donna Maharas and Dennis Seefeld. They also have one older sister, Shirley Pecoy. Dennis Seefeld preceded his sister in death in 2008, and her two sisters still currently reside in Algona, IA.

Dixie's early life was spent working on the family farm and attending a country schoolhouse near Wesley, IA. She was an avid roller skater, entering many competitions with her sister, Donna. Her love of skating was later passed onto her children who are not quite as adept at skating backwards or doing spins but still love it anyway.

Roller skating was one of her many talents. She was also an accomplished and self-taught accordion player, seamstress, and chess player. All of these skills she continued with throughout her life, and enriched the lives of all who knew her through them. Her accordion playing was very popular with neighbor children who liked to watch her play.

After graduating from Wesley High School, she chose to pursue a career in nursing and attended the Evangelical Deaconess Hospital and Nursing School in Marshalltown, IA. She graduated in 1958 and proceeded to have a successful, forty-five year career as a nurse in Iowa, South Dakota, and Southern California. Her concentration throughout most of her career was primarily in Labor and Delivery and Neonatal Intensive Care.

Dixie married Jerry Wilson on June 13, 1964, at the First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD. Their first child, Tyler, was born in 1972, and their second child, Teresa, was born in 1974.

Throughout her life, Dixie has always committed herself to helping people, whether it was as a Nurse, a wife and mother, or as a friend. The contributions she has made are quite honestly too numerous to count in just a few short paragraphs. Let it just be said that as a nurse she was very influential to all who ever worked with her. As a wife, mother, and friend, she was greatly loved and left a lasting impact that will never be forgotten.

One of the most challenging battles Dixie had to contend with was cancer. She bravely fought against this enemy twice in the last twenty-five years. After more than a year-long battle she finally succumbed. She was a beautiful and strong person who will be missed by all who knew her.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, March 14, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Sturgis with Rev. Denzel Nonhof officiating.

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