Virginia Dixon McDonald

Virginia Dixon McDonald passed away on November 6, 2024, in Gatesville. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at Scott's Funeral Home. The family will receive visitors one hour before the service. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery.

On January 12, 1942, Virginia McDonald was born to the parentage of the late Mr. Louis Dixon Sr. and Curtis Mae Coleman Dixon. She was the sister to three brothers and four sisters of whom, four sisters, Bertha Carroll, Lucille Dixon, Elizabeth Fowler and Adene James along with two brothers, Reverend Louis Dixon Jr. and Willie D. Dixon, have all preceded her in death. Her husband, Howard McDonald Sr. and son, Howard (Bub) McDonald Jr., also preceded her in death.

Virginia attended and graduated from G.W. Jackson High School in Corsicana, Texas. She then met and married Howard W. McDonald on December 26, 1958. To that union they shared six children. Virginia and her family moved to Gatesville, Texas in 1961. 

Virginia accepted Christ at an early age. Every Sunday morning her home was filled with the joyous sounds of her favorite gospel artists including Shirley Ceasar, Rev. James Cleveland, the Mississippi Mass Choir, and Mahalia Jackson, to name a few. She and her family were pastored under the late Rev. H. Broaden, Rev. Debose, and the late Rev. Willie Clark. 

Mrs. Virginia, as most called her in the tight knit community of Gatesville, loved to hot press and curl hair for all her surrounding neighbors. On any given day you could hear that hot comb sizzling and the curlers burning. She was the best at what she loved to do.

Virginia was also employed at the Rotunda nursing home where she completed a nursing program through the local hospital to become a licensed vocational nurse. She obtained her nursing license certification on December 27, 1977. She later went on to work for and retire from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). While working at TDCJ, Virginia was recognized and honored for her work in the medical department as nurse of the year.

Virginia was a loving wife, mother, sister and daughter. Anything she could do for her family; she did it. She cherished her time with all of her family.

Virginia leaves to cherish in her memory and life her four daughters, Lovetta Knox (Jimmy); Marilyn McDonald; Laura Smart (Michael); Aretha Hawkins; one son, Homer McDonald; nineteen grandchildren; twenty-five great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; one brother, Freddie Dixon (Mary); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 

Memorials in honor of Virginia may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 781449, San Antonio, Texas 78278 or the Alzheimer’s Texas Association, 7000 N. Mopac Expy #200, Austin, TX, 78731.