William Rixon

GRANBURY — William Peter “Pete” Rixon, 78, passed from this life on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at the age of 78.
Service: Celebration of life services will be held on Friday, March 29, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. at Granbury First United Methodist Church. Burial: Interment services with military honors will be conducted at McCracken, Kan. on Monday, April 1, 2013, at 10:30 a.m.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Pete’s honor to the American Cancer Society.
Pete, as he was fondly known, was the third child in a family of four, born March 5, 1935, in McCracken, Kan. to Emma Sarah Derr Rixon and James Arthur Rixon.
He grew up on a wheat farm and began doing farm related chores at an early age. He attended McCracken Grade School and graduated from McCracken High School in 1953. He was drafted into the United States Army in April of 1958. His basic training was at Fort Hood, Texas. In September of 1958, he was deployed to Hanau, Germany where he served in the Engineers, 3rd Armored Division as a personnel driver. He received an honorable discharge as a Specialist 4 on March 1, 1964.
In December of 1962, he married Lola Jean Oller at the First United Methodist Church in McCracken, Kan. They were blessed with two daughters. Leila Jo was born in January of 1964 and Sara Lynn was born in October of 1978.
Pete and Lola moved to Brownfield, Texas in December of 1973. Pete spent his life working in farming and other agricultrually related jobs. Upon their retirement, they moved to Granbury, Texas where they lovingly built their new home.
Pete loved woodworking. It was his number one hobby. He spent many happy hours refinishing antiques in his backyard shop. In addition to making many pieces of beautiful furniture for his own home, he also made furniture for each of his siblings, daughters, grandchildren and many friends. His flower beds were always beautiful, colorful and well maintained. He also found great joy in cultivating, growning and canning vegetables from his garden.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Granbury, Texas. They were members of the Grace Sunday School class.
Pete is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, John Arthur Rixon in 1997 and James Robert Rixon in 1989.
Survivors: Those left to mourn his passing include his wife, Lola Rixon of Granbury; daughter, Leila Wolfe and husband, Gary, of Woodward, Okla.; daughter, Sara Dodd and husband, Eric, of Ovalo, Texas; sister, Priscilla Kate Rixon Jacobs of McCracken, Kan.; grandchildren, Kristina Kizer, Benjamin Wolfe, Rhett Dodd, Reese Dodd, Rhyan Dodd; great grandchildren, Nikolaus Kizer, Elizabella Kizer, Sophia Kizer; seven nephews; five nieces; and a host of friends and relatives from across Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Wiley Funeral Home
Granbury, 817-573-3000