Dixie Gray Wilson

Dixie Gray Wilson, age 97, formerly of Twin Lakes, 1523 Von Bora Court, Burlington, NC died December 29, 2025.

Born in Wayne County, NC she grew up in Fayetteville, NC and raised her family in Charlotte, NC. She moved to Tryon, NC to "retire" and eventually moved to Burlington, NC and the Twin Lakes community to "retire" again. Recently, her family moved her to Trinity Place in Albemarle, NC to be closer to them.

Her work life was in health care: business office supervisor for Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, NC, and again for Mary Black Memorial Hospital, Spartanburg SC. Shortly after moving to Burlington, her husband passed. She volunteered at the Cone Cancer Center to keep busy. Then, at the age of 72, she was offered a full-time position. She finally retired for good on Aug 5, 2018, her 90th birthday, after 18 years as a receptionist for the Alamance Regional Medical Center – Cone Cancer Center.

Dixie was the epitome of a Steel Magnolia. She was kind, thoughtful, yet strong. If you visited her, even unannounced, she always had food on hand, her house was always immaculate yet warm and inviting, and her appearance from her hair to her shoes was impeccable.

Never wanting you to leave, but, when you had to, she would shoo you out the door so you would get home before dark. As she waved goodbye, you would get in the car with a bag of goodies that magically appeared, almost out of thin air. If you ever wanted to make her day, you would bring her a strawberry milkshake with a hot dog all the way. Dixie took meticulous notes of birthdays, anniversaries or upcoming appointments. Hers would be the first card you got in the mail, or the phone call to check on things. Everyone who met Dixie was enchanted by her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Mamie Jones Gray and Edgar Vance Gray; husband, Edward Lewin Wilson; brothers Durwood Gray and Roger Gray; and sons, Lewin Gray Wilson and David Vance Wilson.

She is survived by her two sisters: Mary Gray of Burlington, NC and Joyce Gray Baker of Raleigh, NC.

She is survived by her daughter-in-law Denise Wilson, Stallings, NC and her three grandchildren: Branden Wilson Chopelas (Chris) of Albemarle, NC; Ben Wilson (Clare) of Lakeland FL; and Daniel Wilson (Ashley) of Charlotte NC.

She has six beautiful great-grandchildren: Amber, Abigail and Juliana Chopelas, Anna Clare and Coty Wilson, and Dobbs Wilson. She has one great great-grandchild: Addyson McLaughlin.

She is also survived by numerous precious nieces and nephews, who have such fond memories of Aunt Dixie.

Her faith was extremely important and throughout her life she was a cherished member of many churches. Her current church family was the First Baptist Church of Elon, and she loved her Sunday School class and going to the services.

A Remembrance of Life Service will be held at the mausoleum at Lafayette Memorial Gardens in Fayetteville, NC on January 31, 2026 at 1pm. Graveside service will follow.

A meal will be provided afterwards, location to be determined, for those who would like to fellowship longer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cone Cancer Center at Alamance Regional Medical Center, First Baptist Church of Elon, Trinity Place in Albemarle (24724 US 52 Albemarle NC 28001) or a charity of your choice.