Obituary of Dixie Quinn Wildy Caya

Dixie Lee Caya Dixie Lee Quinn Wildy Caya, 88, passed away peacefully Friday, September 11, 2009 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was born December 20, 1920 in Osceola, Arkansas to her parents, Earl and Edna Alma ?Dutchie? Quinn. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Florine Quinn Wilson and Edna Earle Quinn Speck, an infant brother, her husbands, Leroy Wildy and Ed Caya, and her son-in-law, Robert Pennington who passed away in May. Dixie grew up in Osceola on her parent?s farm, where she went to school in a one room school house, later graduating from Osceola High School. She loved needlecrafts and riding horses, becoming a champion equestrian riding her horse, Charming Beau. During World War II she served her country by enlisting in the Navy where she served in the Waves, furthering her education at Iowa State Teachers College and Hunter College in NYC. She worked for many years for Holiday Inns in Arkansas and Tennessee. She was very proud of her work as a campaign manager for Winthrop Rockefeller, Governor of Arkansas. She was a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and received an award from them for her service in WWII. She was an avid fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks. After retiring, she moved to Charlotte to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Leigh and Robert Pennington and her granddaughter, Jessica. Working at the First Union Atrium kiosk, Dixie never met a stranger and always had a funny story or retort. She was one of a kind. Mrs. Caya is survived by her daughter, Leigh Wildy Pennington, her son, Charles Burke Caya, her granddaughter, Jessica Pennington, her sister, Gene Quinn Robinson and her husband, Charles. She will be missed by her loving nieces and nephews and their children. A private family service will be held at a later date in Osceola, Arkansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250.