Dixie Lee Chipman ⁷⁸⁰⁸

   Cause of her death was viral heart infection.

Morning Sentinel
Waterville, Maine
March 2, 2011

Dixie Lee Chipman McAdams

THOMASVILLE, N.C. -- Mrs. Dixie Lee Chipman McAdams, 70, a resident of 726 Fairgrove Road died Sunday, February 27, 2011 at Forsyth Memorial Hospital in Winston Salem, following a sudden illness.

She was born January 2, 1941 in Somerset County, Maine a daughter of Paul H. Chipman and Vera Barron Chipman. She was a graduate of Central High School in North New Portland, Maine and a 1960 graduate of Skowhegan Business School in Skowhegan, Maine.

Dixie met her husband Gordon while he was stationed in the Air Force in Maine and she had been a resident of Thomasville since 1971.

She had been a member of Fair Grove United Methodist Church since 1973. She had served as a former Sunday School teacher in the Children's Department, a member of the Pastor Parrish Relations Committee, a member and past chairperson of the Worship Committee, and a member of the church Board of Trustees.

She was one of the original employees of the Bank of North Carolina in Thomasville and enjoyed a personal relationship with her customers. She had received an award for 40 years of distinctive service in the banking industry.

She was a member of the Fairgrove Lions Club where she had served as club president from 2005-2006 and was a Jack Stickley Fellow. In 2001-2002 she was named Lion of the Year and was awarded a Life Membership in the North Carolina Lions Foundation.

She had also served of a member of the board of directors of Fairgrove Family Resource Center, was a volunteer of the Thomasville Medical Center Senior Link Program, and was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels. She also served as a volunteer with Communities in Schools and at Pilot Elementary School. She was also an avid Duke fan and a Hi-Toms Baseball fan.

On April 18, 1964 she was married to H. Gordon McAdams who survives of the home. Also surviving are a son, Kevin McAdams and his wife Ginger of Thomasville; a sister, Jean Morton and her husband Gerry of Naples, FL; a brother, Bruce Chipman of Bingham, Maine; and a granddaughter, Jessica Kate McAdams.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 2 PM at Fair Grove United Methodist Church by the Rev. David Noyes and Mrs. Jane Baity. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will remain at J.C. Green & Sons Funeral Home in Thomasville until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the service. The family will be at the funeral home Friday from 6 until 8 PM and other times at the residence. Members of the Fairgrove Lions Club are asked to serve as honorary pallbearers and should meet at the church by 1:45 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Fair Grove United Methodist Church, 138 Fairgrove Church Road, Thomasville, NC 27360, The Fairgrove Family Resource Center,217 Cedar Lodge Road, Thomasville, NC 27360, or to the Thomasville Medical Center Foundation, 207 Old Lexington Road, Thomasville, NC 27360.

Online condolences may be made to the McAdams family at www.jcgreenandsons.com

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Thomasville Times
Thomasville, North Carolina
by Staff Writer: Eliot Duke
February 27, 2011

McAdams leaves behind a legacy of goodwill

Every community needs a person like Dixie McAdams - someone who is caring, generous and always thinking of ways to help others.

Early Sunday morning, Dixie McAdams died from a viral heart infection at Forsyth Medical Center, leaving those close to her in a state of shock and trying to figure out how to replace a woman who gave so much to so many.

"I can't believe it," Dixie's husband, Gordon, said Monday. "It happened so quick. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't think it's set in yet. We're all still in a fog."

Dixie, who turned 70 in January, and Gordon McAdams were two of Thomasville's brightest stars, as the couple volunteered countless hours for numerous agencies throughout the Chair City. The two were rarely seen apart and their volunteer efforts for organizations like Meals on Wheels and Fairgrove Family Resource Center have helped hundreds of people over the years. In April, the couple were set to celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary.

"It's going to be tough," said Gordon. "I'm so used to going around and doing things together, and we're not going to be able to do that anymore. Even though she's gone, I'm thankful for the blessed life we did have. We had a very blessed life together."

Gordon first met Dixie in 1962 at a dance on his Air Force base in Maine. The fledgling couple danced that night, and Gordon eventually mustered the strength to ask Dixie on a date. From there, Gordon said "the rest is history." The couple married two years later and, after moving around the country for a stint, decided to settle down in Thomasville following the birth of their son, Kevin. Once the McAdams started planting seeds in the Chair City, it wasn't long until their efforts became roots of compassion and giving back.

"She was a ball of energy and enthusiasm with incredible commitment and love for the people this agency serves," Terri Nelson, executive director of Fairgrove Family Resource Center, said. "[Dixie's death] is unreal. We have been just devastated. She never stopped helping other people and is probably one of the most loving, giving people I've ever known. It's a tremendous loss to this community."

Dixie and Gordon also were active members of the Fair Grove Lion's Club (FGLC), where the couple helped raise money and spent time working with the visually impaired. Dixie was due to become president of FGLC in June and Gordon was the Lion's Club's district governor. Current president, Patricia Carroll, said Dixie's death is still hard to accept.

"This community is going to really miss her," said Carroll. "This is one of the greatest losses FGLC has experienced in a long time. This is the shock of all shocks. You couldn't help but love her because she was so full of bubbles and love, and was such an awesome person. She was the most sympathetic person who's ever been. She was always there to lend a helping hand or fix a meal or bring a flower for whatever the case may be."

Linda Hunt, executive director of the Thomasville Medical Center Foundation, started the Senior Link program four years ago with Dixie's help, and said friends often referred to her as a "maniac" because she always on the go.

"She loved it when people said that to her," Hunt said. "Without her I couldn't have done what I did. She was that shining light. Dixie was so important to my life and the hospital. She was one of those people who made her mark in everything she touched. I don't know what we're going to do without her. I miss her terribly. If she could make a difference and touch a life, she would do it. That's why she made such an impact in my life."

Dixie and Gordon also were active members of Fairgrove United Methodist Church (FUMC), and the couple would visit the VA hospital in Salisbury on Christmas, handing out gifts and singing carols. Dixie was an avid Duke fan and could be seen at every Thomasville HiToms game during the summer.

"I can't express how hard it is not to have her," said Hunt. "It will take some big shoes to find people to pick up where she left off and make the difference in the lives of people. It's hard to find someone like her because she gave so much of herself. I don't know what we're going to do without her."

Dixie's funeral will be held Saturday at FUMC at 2 p.m.

  Events

• She had a residence at 726 Fairgrove Road in Thomasville, Davidson County, North Carolina.

Dixie married Living