Memorial for J. Edwin Wix

July 26, 2003

J. Edwin Wix, February 24, 1915 -July 22, 2003

We attended the celebration service for Preacher Wix in a packed chapel of many long-time friends.

This picture shows one of the many connections of Rev. Ed Wix to our family. Denise sent this one to us from the family album. We think this was in 1952 on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Petticord, Granny Dawson's stepdad. "Petticord" was all the name Brenda ever knew. He lived in a cabin near Birmingham, and visited Brenda's family occasionally in the summer.

This house was the pastorium for Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church where Rev Wix lived, across from the church. Brenda spent a week with them here waiting to go to Camp Pinnacle. Herb was on the road doing steel work, and Brenda stayed behind to be able to go to Camp Pinnacle. She spent a week with the Wix's and a week with Gladys Bishop.

The memories of "Preacher Wix" go on and on. He baptized all five of the Duncan children and their mother Marjorie. Through the years when Herbert Duncan had such an alcohol problem, he would cross the road to avoid meeting up with Preacher Wix. But Ed Wix visited him often in his final illness, and Herb's respect for Preacher Wix was so great that he responded to those visits. Ed Wix, after years of living consistently in service of Herb's family and the community, was the one who could bring Herb to the point of making peace with God before his death from cancer.

Ed Wix did the funerals for both Brenda's father Herb (1986) and mother Marjorie (1994), as well as participating in the funeral for sister Bonnie (1996). Bonnie had picked out a poem that she wanted Preacher Wix to read because he had read it at her mother's funeral.

Preacher Wix did a special baby dedication for Jeff and Mark at their mom's home church (Mt. Pisgah Baptist) although they had been dedicated at First Baptist Atlanta where Brenda and Rod were members at the time. Jeff and Mark got to know Preacher Wix as they attended Mt. Pisgah Kindergarten and he remained an important part of our family.

These are two additional pictures they had in the memorial program at the service. The family includes Benson, Jane, Ed, Trumie, Don. A favorite pastime for Ed and Trumie was to sing hymns together with her playing the piano. They played a couple of recordings of their duets as a part of the celebration service.