Mrs. Mary "Dixie" Blackburn Pardue, age 82, passed away Wednesday, July 29, 2015 at her home on her 65th wedding anniversary. As she expressed so many times during her declining health "I'm so ready to see Jesus" and now her faith has become sight. She was born August 24, 1932 in Wilkes County to Curtis G. and Ina Couch Blackburn. Our mother, grandmother and great grandmother loved her children, "grands" and "great grands" with all of her heart. She was very witty and funny and always the encourager to all who knew her. We thank God that we were her family. Mrs. Pardue loved school. She graduated from Ronda High School in 1950 and Mitchell's School of Beauty Culture in 1961 while being a wife and mother to four children. In addition to her parents Mrs. Pardue was preceded in death by her husband, Avery T. Pardue; son, Mark Avery Pardue; daughter, Margaret P. Williams; sisters and brothers-in-law, Ruth and Sam Sadberry and Doris and Bill McBride; and brother, Dexter Blackburn. Survivors include: daughter, Ava Pardue Hall and husband Robert of Elkin and Becky Pardue Church and husband Don of N. Wilkesboro; grandchildren, Denise Eubanks and husband Curtis of Union, SC, Caroline Williams Easley and husband Mark of Greenville, SC, Sean T. Williams and wife April from Union, SC, Emily M. Church of N. Wilkesboro; great grandchildren, Riley Elizabeth Shropshire, Morgan Leighanne Eubanks, Avery Thomas Williams and Mason Blaine Church; son-in-law Graham Williams of Union, SC; special sisters-in-law, Vonda H. Blackburn and Camilla M. Pardue and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, August 3, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at Elkin Funeral Service Chapel with Rev. David Key officiating. The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. The family requests that memorials be made to Gentiva Hospice, 905 Cherry Street, N. Wilkesboro, NC 28659 or Cool Springs Baptist Church, 1467 Cool Springs Church Road, Elkin, NC 28621. The family would like to thank caregiver Pat Howell, Gentiva Hospice and nurse's Cathy Johnson and Pauline Watts and Dr. Soos for their care.
