![]() ![]() Dixon said after hearing her father talking about struggling to raise six children on his $25 a week salary, "I felt that helping my Family was more important." Dixon quit Howard to get a job and attended night school.ĭixon has traveled to Europe, Africa and Bermuda, but her 13-year marriage ended over $18, the cost of a week's worth of groceries. "My father was from here and we originally came to visit my grandmother and never left," she said.ĭixon's life is full of experiences and memories, some good, some not so good.Īfter high school, Dixon began classes at Washington's Howard University - however, her college career was short-lived. "I thought it was pretty spelled differently, so I changed it."ĭixon's Family moved to Washington in 1924. When she was 16, after seeing the actress Alyce Mills in the movie "A Bride for a Knight," Dixon changed the spelling of her given name. I knew when I got married I didn't want any children, I've done it already." "I never had a bicycle or skates or anything like that," Dixon said. ![]() Helping with the six siblings, which came after her, gave Dixon all the experience with raising children that she never wanted. Named Alice Lillian Ellis, she was the third oldest of nine children. "I even have a gal come in every few weeks for a manicure," laughed Dixon as she displayed her polished red nails.ĭixon was born Sept. No one has to tell you that you look good. "I tell everyone to dress for yourself and you'll feel better about yourself, even if you don't feel good. "I like to dress up every day and I always dress pretty well," Dixon said. She cares about her appearance and likes wearing fashionable clothes and jewelry. One would never guess Dixon's age by looking at her. She's been residing at the center for 12 years, since a serious infection required the amputation of her right leg. Lucid and quick-witted, the gregarious Army veteran is the oldest resident at the Veteran Affairs Medical center in Washington, D.C. Theodore Roosevelt was president when she was born, and she's seen 18 more elected since, including the first black president, whom she describes as brilliant. She's lived through the Great Depression and six major military conflicts, including those in Iraq and Afghanistan. ![]() Dixon and her unit eliminated a backlog of soldier mail in France in half the time they were given to complete the task.ĭixon received the Good Conduct Medal for her service, the VA said.Editor's note: This story uses the word "Negro." Even though this word today is considered inappropriate by some, we have chosen not to change the original quotes in keeping with the subject matter's historical perception.Īmazing is an understatement when describing 104-year-old World War II veteran Alyce Dixon. She served in Scotland, England and France from 1943 to 1945 in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which named Dixon "Veteran of the Day" on Sept. "She lived life on her own terms from that day forward," the VA said in a press release.ĭixon joined the Army in 1943 and served in the only unit of African-American women to serve overseas in World War II, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported.ĭixon was known for "her elegant sense of style, her long repertoire of eyebrow-raising jokes and very strong opinions," the VA said.Īt 16, Dixon changed the spelling of her first name to match that of actress Alyce Mills. Veterans Affairs Medical Center's Community Living Center, where she died peacefully in her sleep, the U.S. Army, died Wednesday at 108.ĭixon's nickname was "Queen Bee" at the Washington D.C. Alyce Dixon, the nation's oldest female veteran and one of the first African-American women to serve overseas in the U.S.
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