Daisie R. Nixon
1913-2013
Daisie Robertson Nixon, formerly of St. Joseph, passed away on September 23, 2013, at home in rural White Heath, Illinois. She was born July 9, 1913 in Buchanan County just south of St. Joseph, Missouri to Charles Elvis Robertson and Capitola Eugene Blakeley. She lived on Parker Road in south St. Joseph during her youth and attended Lake Station School through eighth grade. She graduated from Platte Business School and began work at Townsend & Wall Department Store as a book keeper for their mail-order business.
During World War II she worked at Rosecrans Air Field at the Post Exchange selling concessions, sorting Army ponchos and backpacks for reuse. After the war she worked for the Telephone Company until 1948 when she married Richard Nixon. They married on Nov 19, 1948 in St. Joseph at the First Christian Church. She had two children, Randy and Christopher.
Daisie participated in the Foster Parents Adoption Program from 1954 to 1966, caring for newborns upon release from the hospital to adoption at six weeks or older. She continued to provide childcare for many single parents, caring for some of the children until they were old enough to attend school. She retired from childcare in August 1977 after more than twenty years service.
Daisie actively supported her sons’ participation in Cub Scouts, Bantam League football and Little League baseball, helping managers with scorekeeping, rule book, and maintaining the field.
Her husband, Richard, passed away on March 28, 1991. Daisie continued to live at her home on Angelique self-sufficiently until she was 98, when she moved to White Heath, Illinois to live with her son Christopher and his wife Carolyn.
Daisie loved reading, quilting, gardening, walking, and spending time with friends exploring the countryside, playing cards and picnicking on Sunday afternoons. She regularly walked until she was 90, 1-2 miles daily with her dog and attended the Senior Citizens Center in St. Joseph for exercise programs until she was 92.
Daisie maintained good health most of her life and was able to achieve three goals she had set later in life: to live to be 100, to never live in a nursing home, and to pass in her sleep in her own bed.
She is survived by her sons, Randy (Sheryl) Nixon of St. Joseph, and Christopher (Carolyn) Nixon of White Heath, Illinois. Daisie has six grandchildren: Chuck Nixon, St. Joseph, Sherri (Chris) Phillips, St. Joseph, Shelly (Ty) Glauser, Rea, MO.; Chad (Jen) Nixon, St. Joseph, Christopher Nixon, Champaign, IL.; and William Nixon, White Heath, IL. Seven great-grandchildren: Corey (Laura) Nixon, St. Joseph, Courtney Nixon, St. Joseph, K’Lea Miller, Rea, Addisyn and Gage Glauser, Rea; Ashleigh and Hayleigh Nixon, St. Joseph, and one great-great grandchild, Lillian Mae Nixon, of St. Joseph.
Services will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday at Clark-Sampson Funeral Home with interment following in King Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service.
Online obituary and condolences at www.clarksampson.com