Col. Charles Lee Dixon, (U.S. Army, Ret.)

Col. Charles Lee Dixon, U.S. Army, Retired, 86, of Colonel Dixon Rd., Elberton went peacefully to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 8, 2017, with Norma, his wife of 65 years, by his side in their Elberton home.


Col. Dixon was born on November 27, 1930, in Elberton to the late John C. and Jamie M. Dixon.
He was an active member of Flatwoods Pentecostal Holiness Church where he served on the church board since 1980. He enjoyed cattle farming, hunting, fishing, and working in his vegetable gardens. He loved his family dearly and spent many happy times with them on vacations to the beach.

He graduated from Nancy Hart Memorial School in Fortsonia. He went on to further his education by earning various degrees from multiple institutions: Clemson University (Ed-S in Administration & Supervision), Webster University (MA in Business Management, MA in Administration of Justice), Saint Benedicts College (BA in Political Science), University of Georgia (M. ED. Equivalent in Administration & Supervision), and Nova University (ED. D. three fourths completed in Adult Education & Supervision).

His military education includes the following: Air War College, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Command and General Staff College, Artillery & Missile School, Infantry Officers Career School, Airborne School, Special Forces Officers School, and the Foreign Area Officers School (Mid-East).

He served his country faithfully for thirty years in the United States Army. During that time, he was in the Korean War and did three tours in Vietnam where he received four purple hearts. He served at National and International levels, as well as a staff position at the Pentagon and various diplomatic command assignments. Seventeen years of his service was spent as a green beret, and he fought bravely at Heartbreak Ridge.

After retiring from military service, he served as a Senior Army Instructor and Department Head for District 5 at Westside High School in Anderson South Carolina from 1980-1984. He believed in giving back to his hometown and was very passionate about mentoring children and helping them further their education. He went on to serve two terms as the Superintendent of Public Schools in the Elbert County School System from 1985-1992, and he also served as a Marketing Representative for Financial Education Systems, Inc. in Toccoa, GA.

Col. Dixon is survived by his wife, Norma Yeargin Dixon; his sisters: Faye McCannon and Mabel Payton of Elberton; his son and daughter-in-law, Charles Keith and Faye Dixon of Greenwood, S.C.; his eldest daughter and son-in-law, Tammey D. and Philip Bohlen of Elberton; his youngest daughter and son-in-law, Debra D. and Lane Eaton of Bowman; three granddaughters and their husbands:Jessica and Ian Buchanan of Newnan, GA, Lauren and Cameron McIntosh of Ninety-six, S.C., and Amy and Jared Farmer of Upland, CA; and two great grandchildren: Liam Farmer and Grey McIntosh.

Funeral services to celebrate Col. Dixon's life will be held 3PM on Sunday, August 13, at Flatwoods Pentecostal Holiness Church with Rev. Phillip Hart and Rev. Bobby Dunaway officiating. The body will be placed in the church to lie in state from 2-3PM. Interment will follow in the church cemetery with full military honors. Honorary pallbearers will be Phil Bohlen, Lane Eaton, Chuck Moore, Rick Dixon, Alex Evans, Tyron Yeargin, Wynn Vickery, Wayne Childs, Mike Poole, Franky Johnson and Dennis Palmer.

The family is at the home on Colonel Dixon Rd., and will receive friends from 5-7PM Saturday night at Berry Funeral Home.

The family has requested to please omit flowers and make memorials in his memory to Flatwoods Pentecostal Holiness Church, c/o Franky Johnson, 1763 Meadowbrook Dr., Elberton, GA 30635.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is in charge of the funeral arrangements for Col. Charles Lee Dixon, U.S. Army, Retired.