DIXIE POE HUSKE WELLS
Died Nov. 14, 2011
LAURINBURG -- Dixie Poe Huske Wells, 83, Laurinburg, died Nov. 14, 2011.
She was a much-loved wife, mother, grandmother, friend and teacher.
She was born and reared in Fayetteville, the only child of Thomas Hybert and Hilda Poe Huske.
She is survived by her husband of 45 years, William M. "Bill" Wells Jr. of Laurinburg, and their only child, Dixie T. Wells, of Greensboro. She is also survived by Dixie's husband, L. Patrick Auld, and her beloved granddaughter.
She was determined and courageous. She overcame a polio diagnosis on her 12th birthday in 1940. After spending a year without her parents at the rehabilitation hospital in Warm Springs, Ga., she returned to Fayetteville wearing braces from the neck down.
For years to come, she worked at improving her mobility until, at the age of 48, she climbed the steps to the top of Big Ben -- no braces, no cane. She survived a broken ankle, breast cancer, a broken femur and colon cancer.
She loved learning and teaching. She was graduated from Greensboro College in 1950, and earned a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She read passionately -- everything from the newspaper to the latest novel -- and enjoyed her book club.
She taught math for a number of years -- first in Hope Mills and later at Greensboro Senior High School (which became Grimsley Senior High School).
She was honored professionally with induction into Delta Kappa Gamma, but took even greater satisfaction in showing her 6-year-old granddaughter how to borrow tens when subtracting and how to solve simple algebraic equations.
She devoted herself completely to whatever she did, and her loyalty inspired loyalty in others.
After she married Bill, she dedicated herself to supporting his ministry as state director of campus ministry and pastor in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and in England.
She was active in the Scotland County Democratic Women.
Up until the time of her death, she maintained close friendships with the children of her mother's college classmates, childhood neighbors, people she met while Bill was serving in local churches and people she met recently. Her friendships were not defined by longevity, age, race or political affiliation.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions to Saint Luke United Methodist Church, 1501 Turnpike Road, Laurinburg, N.C., 28352.
A visitation will be held at Scotia Village Presbyterian Retirement Community in Laurinburg Wednesday, Nov. 16, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
A funeral will be held at Saint Luke United Methodist Church Thursday, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m. A graveside service will be held at Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson Friday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m.
McDougald Funeral Home and Crematorium is serving the Wells family.
A memorial register may be found at www.McDougald.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on November 17, 2011 1:49 PM