Dixie Rosa

Dixie Lou Rosa, age 87 passed away Saturday, April 30, 2022. Dixie was born in San Diego, CA on May 28, 1934, to Elmer and Wannita (Fields) Nelson. Dixie grew up in Seattle Washington and at the age of 15 moved to New York City to live with her father. In her youth, she worked as a Diamond Courier in New York City and enjoyed spending time in Central Park. At her time in Central Park walking her dog, she met Jimmy Dean where he would go and play his guitar.  They became friends long before he became famous.

Dixie married Anthony Norman Rosa April 24th, 1956, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They operated Rosa’s Boat Yard in Inwood, NY until 1971 when they moved to Western New York and operated A&D Grocery in Warsaw, NY. Dixie moved to the Grove area with her daughter and grandchildren in the spring of 2002. It was here that she enjoyed her retirement. She enjoyed talking with neighbors and attending the Grove Senior Center. Dixie loved to socialize and never met a stranger.

Over the years, she enjoyed drawing, reverse painting on windows of their various businesses, gardening, and horseback riding. After retirement she enjoyed being outdoors, tending to her flower gardens and spending time with family.

Survivors include son, Michael Rosa, daughter Sherry Lynda Rosa, grandchildren, Christy (Rosa) Hernandez and husband Javier, Raymond (Rosa) Zito, Robert (Rosa) Nuylan wife Shorouk, Shirley Rosa, Michael Rosa and wife Michelle, Amanda (Rosa) Anderson and husband Jason, Marci (Rosa) Boone, Kisho West and Amber West-Hummell and husband Jeremy, nephew, David Lee Nelson and wife Nina as well as numerous great grandchildren nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents Rufus “Mage” And Nannie (Cooper) Fields, parents, Elmer and Wannita (Fields) Nelson, her husband Anthony, sons Anthony Norman Rosa Jr., Marshall Anthony Rosa, brother David Lee Nelson, sisters Margaret (Lacey) Hollister, Dorothy Lacey-Smith, and grandsons, AJ. Boone and Richard Harold Rosa.

She was laid to rest at Snell Cemetery.