Dr. Evelyn Rose Newhouse Ph.D.

  General Notes:

Obituary from the Nashville Tennessean, Sunday, June 24.

Evelyn Ruby Nixon died in Clarksville, Tennessee, on June 21, 2007, at age 83, having been born on September 22, 1923, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the first of two offspring of Edwin and Bertha Newhouse. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister, Virginia Sappenfield.

She is survived by her husband of forty years, James Dawson Nixon, this being a blessed second marriage for both.

Evelyn is survived by Jim's son, Thomas Lloyd Nixon, of Penngrove, California, and his daughter, Pamela Jo Coller (Mrs. Mark), of Irving, Texas; by three granddaughters, Jamilah Nixon-Mathis, Bethany Axiaq (Mrs. Emanuel), and Shawn Harvey (Mrs. Glenn); and three great-grandsons, Stephen, Ryan, and Eric Harvey all in California: by Jim's sister Isabel Helrigel (Mrs. William) of Signal Mountain, TX and by her son Gary (Chris) Helrigel and her daughters Cathryn Pierce (Mrs. Sherman), Gina Frazier (Mrs. William) and by nieces and nephews.

Her surviving family include her brother Robert Walz of Dallas, Texas, and his adult children and grandchildren; nephew Dr. William and Selma Sappenfield in Florida and their children Joshua, Olivia, and Lisa; and niece Sherry Hawley of upstate New York and her sons, Jeff and Bill.

Evelyn attended public schools in Indianapolis and graduated from high school in Tipton, Ind. On returning to Indianapolis, she worked in local businesses and attended Indiana University Center and Butler University evenings, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1955.

She was a graduate of Christian Theological Seminary where she earned two master's degrees from 1957 to 1970 and was ordained at Northwood Christian Church. She was active in local and state church camps and conferences, writing religious curriculum and drama, and local television.

When she moved to Michigan in 1958 she continued activities in religious television and drama, and youth work in camps and conferences. She served as minister of education at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church in Dearborn, Mich., and Trinity United Methodist Church in Highland Park, Mich., and served in Methodist camps, conferences and sensitivity training. In Ann Arbor, Mich., she served as minister of education at Memorial Christian Church, as office manager at First Methodist Church, and as administrative assistant to the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan.

Evelyn completed requirements for a Ph.D. in continuing education and moved with her husband to Tennessee in 1972 and received her doctoral degree from the University of Michigan in 1977 with a dissertation on the four-day work week. She directed several high school programs for the Fort Campbell Dependent School System and the education branch of the Army. She was then employed by Austin Peay State University as director of continuing education and community service. During that employment she was the founding director of APSU's Eagle University at Fort Campbell and initiated and directed APSU's Elderhostel program and served a term as its state director.

Evelyn was involved in a number of volunteer activities including ten years as chair of the Foster Child Review program for the local courts, four terms as president of the local AARP chapter, and several roles in the state AARP leadership council.

At First Christian Church in Clarksville, she served multiple terms as elder, board chairman, trustee, and recently organized the church's Project Linus. She served the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) at the state level for ten years on the commission on personnel.

Following cremation, memorial services will be held at First Christian Church, Clarksville, on Thursday, June 28,at 2:00 p.m. with arrangements by Sykes Funeral Home. Later burial will be in Earlham Cemetery in Richmond, Indiana.

Visitation will be at the church from noon until the 2 p.m. memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations might go to First Christian Church, 516 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37040 for the Bethany Hills Capital Fund for campground expansion and development; or other donations.

Evelyn married Dr. James Dawson Nixon Ph.D., son of Rev. Lloyd Hinman Nixon D.D. and Pearl E. Dawson, on 20 Dec 1967 in Detroit, Michigan. (Dr. James Dawson Nixon Ph.D. was born on 21 Nov 1922 in Jonesville, Michigan, died on 5 Oct 2012 in Irving, Texas and was buried in Earlham Cemetery, Richmond, Indiana.)