Dixie Juanice Wagner

Dixie Juanice Wagner (Condron), 88, of Parker, Colorado, formerly of Elgin, passed away on September 18, 2025. Born on February 27, 1937, in Austin, Texas, to parents Otho Condron and Heloise Lawhon, Dixie spent her early childhood years in Austin and always spoke fondly of the beautiful fields of bluebonnets. When her mother remarried Horace Mills, an enlisted Sailor, the family relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas, then Happy Valley, California, and eventually Bermuda.

Dixie was well-traveled and adventurous. She attended William and Mary University in Virginia before moving to New York City, where she worked as a secretary. She then moved home to be with her family. During this time, she struck up a correspondence with Tom Wagner, one of the sailors who had served under her stepfather in Bermuda. He proposed after a year of exchanging letters, and they were married in Long Beach, California. As a military wife, Dixie continued to travel. She, Tom, and their daughter, Loise Anne, lived together in Port Deposit, Maryland, Jacksonville, Florida, and overseas in Keflavík, Iceland. When Tom retired, the family settled down just outside of Austin, where she could be close to her relatives.

Those who knew Dixie will remember her for her strength of spirit, her deep-rooted faith in Jesus, and her unwavering commitment to family. She found God during her time in Florida and served the church faithfully for the rest of her life. When friends or neighbors fell on hardship, she brought them clothing, delivered home-cooked meals, and prayed with them. Family was always a priority for Dixie. She frequently visited elderly family members, ensuring they were well fed and well cared for, and attended every reunion she could. Dixie was famous in her family for her elaborate quilts, home-grown vegetables, dewberry jelly, and other home-canned foods, which she called ‘her jewels.’ Her heart felt at home in the country, where her ancestors had lived, and she had a story for every corner of her property.

Dixie is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Thomas Elbert Wagner. She is survived by her daughter, Loise Anne Gilmer, son-in-law, John Henry Gilmer III, and her two grandchildren, Jillian Louise Gilmer and Jackson Royce Gilmer.

Family and Friends will gather graveside for a Celebration of Life at Lawhon Springs Cemetery on Friday, October 3rd.  She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.