Dixie M. "Cooter" Mercer, 84 RECAP - age 84, died Saturday, January 29, 2005 at a Nacogdoches hospital. Interment will be in the Talpa Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home. Dixie was born September 11, 1920 in Talpa, Texas, a son of the late Haden Anderson Mercer and Bonnie Beatrice Huey Mercer. He grew up in Talpa, played football at Talpa High School and graduated in 1938. On January 11, 1941 he married Ollie Faye Sheppard in Midland, Texas and she preceded him in death on January 11, 1990. During World War II, Dixie served in the United States Army Air Corp as an air traffic controller in the European Theater of Operations. He lived in Seminole, Texas for many years where he worked for Mobil Oil Company as a pipeliner and inspector. He moved to Coleman in 1981, married Beth Boyd in 1992, Due to health reasons, he and Beth moved to Nacogdoches in 2002. Survivors include his wife, Beth Boyd Mercer of Nacogdoches, Texas; one son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Melvin Ray Mercer and Sharry Billene Mercer of College Station, Texas; one daughter, Dr. Dixie Faye Mercer of Nacogdoches, Texas; one brother and sister-in-law, David and Billie Mercer of Coleman, Texas; He was preceded in death by a brother, Herman Anderson Mercer, and a sister-in-law, Nan Mercer. (Coleman Chronicle and Democrat-Voice, Coleman, Texas, February 1, 2005, page 15.)
