Dixie Taylor McMillen, age 74, died peacefully Tuesday, July 12, 2022 after struggling with dementia for many years. Dixie was born September 13, 1947 in Tennessee, where her father worked as a pharmacist and her mother taught school. The family later moved to Starkville, Mississippi, and she graduated from Starkville High School in 1965. Dixie continued her education at Delta State University (DSU), receiving a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969. While at DSU, she was a member of the Delta Belles. She had many professional roles throughout her life, and her involvement in community and civic organizations included memberships in the Chamber of Commerce, Business and Professional Women, and the Leadership Starkville program. Alongside her mother, Cattie Taylor, she had been an active member of the Starkville Pilot Club in the past, serving as President during her time with the organization. She spent time as a photographer early in her career, later owned a dress shop in downtown Starkville known as Dixie’s and was a realtor for a time. More recently, she took courses in ceramics at Mississippi State University and was a ceramic artist. Dixie was an avid cook, enjoyed reading, needlepoint, and spending time with her cats. She was a patron of the arts and charter member of the Starkville Community Theatre (SCT), where she served backstage and as assistant director on many productions, and her role in the Octette Bridge Club as Ann Conroy was her SCT stage debut. The play produced joint best supporting actress awards for all 8 actresses at the state festival, which led to the first regional competition for SCT. She was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, completing the four-year Education for Ministry program and favoring contemplative prayer, walking the labyrinth, and quiet services.
Dixie’s husband David L. McMillen passed away just five days after her passing. She was preceded in death by her father, E. Coleman Taylor, as well as her sister and brother-in-law, Frances Wells and John Wells, and her well-loved cats, Marmalade, Sturgis, Bix, and Taz.
She is survived by her mother Cattie Kessler Taylor (101), her stepchildren Robert McMillen and his wife Lisa Long, Eleanor Green and her husband John J. Green, and Randall McMillen and his wife Whitney Hilton, along with her many grandchildren who knew her as “Mama D” – Anthony Green and his wife Taylor Green, Edith Marie Green, Elaina McMillen, Cameron Long-McMillen, and Galen McMillen, as well as favorite nephews William Watkins and Johnny Wells.
A joint memorial will be held for Dixie and David on Monday August 15, 2022 at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, with the visitation at 9:30am and service to follow at 11:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection https://ecrstarkville.com/; the Starkville Community Theatre http://www.sct-online.org/; or the Starkville Area Arts Council http://www.starkvillearts.net/.
