“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were no so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that were I am, there ye may be also.” John 14 1-3
Mr. James LeRoy “Roy” Hixson passed away on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at his residence.
Roy was a life-long resident of Washington County, TN and a member of Telford Missionary Baptist Church where he trained for the ministry in his late teens. While under the guidance of Rev. Horace Bingham, Roy held monthly church services (sermons) for approximately 15 months.
Roy was a 1956 graduate of Jonesboro High School and a 1975 Graduate of ETSU with a BS in accounting and English.
Roy was a Veteran of the United States Navy.
Roy began his career in finance at First National Bank (later First Peoples Bank) and then Pet Dairy Credit Union (later Johnson City Federal Credit Union) retiring after 36 years of service.
Roy loved gardening, landscaping and foraging in woodlands and mountains for edible fruits and plants. He could sit for an hour in a serviceberry tree and eat “sarvises” when ripe. His favorite serviceberry tree was at Backbone Rock picnic area. Roy enjoyed reading historical books and novels about the settlement of early America and later expansion of the Western Frontier.
He was the son of the late Sidney McCoy Hixson and the late Minnie Lee Campbell Hixson. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Howard Hixson and Clarence Thomas Hixson and wife, Virginia Masters Hixson, and a sister, Geneva Hixson and a daughter-in-law, Lisa Christian Hixson. Roy was a direct descendant of Otto Rudolph Crecelius.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, David Andrew & Ginger Hixson, Jonesborough; grandson, Andrew Hixson and wife Sasha, Pennington Gap, VA; granddaughters, Whitney Hixson and Mindy Kyker and husband, Jordan; great-grandchildren, Jaelynn, Ben, Lilly and Ivan; four brothers, Harry Hixson and wife, Barbara, Nebraska, Kenneth Hixson and wife Charlene, Chattanooga, TN, Sidney Hixson, Unicoi, TN and Tony Hixson, Johnson City; five sisters, Loretta Kinley and husband, Bill, Jonesborough, Margaret Menchey, Limestone, beloved special sister, Jewell Hixson, Johnson City, Betty Daniels and husband, Lanny, Sulphur Springs and Janice Holland Asheville, NC; sister-in-law, Dianne Foster Hixson, Johnson City; two special cousins, Lee Sneyd and Geraldine Love; special friends, the Dana P. Rogers family and the Dr. Robert L. Snell family; a special friend and neighbor, Lois “Snookum” McCracken Lovegrove.
Funeral services will be conducted 8:00 PM Friday, March 7, 2014 at Dillow-Taylor Funeral Home with Rev. Alan Huff officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM Friday prior to the service.
Interment services will be conducted 11:00 AM Saturday, March 8, 2014 at Maple Lawn Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be family & friends.