Dixie Jean Horner McPherson, 76, of West Richland, died Monday, December 9th at Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital in Post Falls. She was born on September 22, 1937, in Fillmore, California. She was the last of seven daughters born to Ernest and Bessie Hocker.

She moved to Washington with her family in 1938 and lived in Granger and Yakima where she grew up. During these times of the Depression her father worked as a mechanic and maintenance man on a farm in Granger while her mother picked fruit and opened a store for a Government Housing Camp. Eventually her parents and siblings moved to Yakima where they settled and went to school at Wide Hollow. Her father worked as a foreman for Condon's, which was a large orchard in Yakima. Dixie always spoke with love about her family and her years of growing up in Yakima. She was always proud of her father and mother for their work ethic and ability to provide for their family during difficult times. She enjoyed her childhood living in Yakima and often shared many memories of playing on the grounds of Condon's Castle, playing in the orchard, building friendships with neighboring children and spending time with her sisters.

She met Nelson Horner in 1952 and they were married in 1954. Their first son, Nelson Jr., was born in Yakima in 1955 and their second son, Steve, was born in 1956. The family moved to Richland in 1961 where their third son, Randy, was born in 1963. Then in 1964, they moved to West Richland and had their fourth son, Jeff, in 1967. They raised their family with Dixie as the homemaker while Nelson worked out at Hanford. She enjoyed her family, community and friends by participating in many activities over the years. Community events, Moose Lodge activities, neighborhood activities, and occasional employment kept her busy. She and Nelson enjoyed raising their boys and all the many adventures that come with raising four of them! They spent time going on camping trips with friends from the neighborhood and many family camping and fishing trips as well, making crafts and spending time with their sons' families as they grew. In their later years she enjoyed playing cards at the senior center, casino trips, and being with their children and grandchildren until Nelson's passing in 1997. Dixie later married Edward McPherson of Pendleton, OR in 2002 and moved to Pendleton for 6 years. They enjoyed crafts, walking, dancing and trips to the casino until Ed's passing, when she moved back to West Richland. She continued to be active with family events, doing some traveling and making weekly trips to various casinos with her friend Edmundo Valenzuela, until his passing in July of 2013.

She enjoyed socializing, going places, being active and spending time with her family. She will be missed by all of us.

She is survived by her sons and their families, Steve and sons Levi both of Ephrata and Brandon of West Richland; Randy and Shelly and sons Collin, Mitchell and Garrett all of West Richland; and son Jeff of West Richland; grandson Jody and wife Sarah and daughters Kylee and Holly of West Richland; granddaughter Jessica Horner and Tim Humble of West Richland and sisters Ernestine of Des Moines, Washington and Shirley of Auburn, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her son, Nelson Horner Jr., husband Nelson Horner Sr. and husband Edward McPherson.