Dr. Helen Nixon

Dr. Helen Nixon peacefully stepped through the doorway of eternity to see her Lord, Jesus Christ face to face on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at the age of 96 in San Angelo, Texas. Helen was born on November 16, 1923 in Powderly, Texas to James Bunyan “Bun” and Beulah Dena Nixon. She was the seventh of eight children, 5 girls and 3 boys. Early years were spent in the Snyder, Texas area and in 1937, the family moved to Whiteface, Texas where Helen finished her high school years. She was a basketball, softball and volleyball standout, and graduated as Valedictorian of her class in the Spring of 1941. At the age of 12, Helen surrendered her life to Jesus Christ, and over the next few years, began to feel a calling to become an overseas missionary. She enrolled at Baylor University in the fall of 1941, majoring in Bible and attended on scholarship all four years there, obtaining her Bachelors’ degree in the Spring of 1945. Her first and continued love throughout her life was in teaching Bible. She made history by being the first female enrolled at Golden Gate Seminary in Mill Valley, California in the fall of 1945, graduating with a Masters’ of Religious Education in the Spring of 1949. Her education would later continue through Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where she obtained her Doctorate in Religious Education in July of 1967. Helen entered the mission field in 1949 after graduating Golden Gate Seminary and was commissioned by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. She would spend the next 32 years of her life ministering to the Spanish-speaking people in several different regions of Argentina. She took a brief sabbatical to earn her doctorate at SWBTS. She was honored by Golden Gate Seminary as Alumna of the Year in 1983 and after serving her final years as a home missionary in Oklahoma, would fully retire in 1988. Helen never married, spending her life dedicated to her Lord and in the spreading of His gospel. She was a feisty and tenacious personality, as most of her friends and family can attest to! She was outspoken and direct, and she was very competitive when it came to games. She loved playing Scrabble (she even created a Solitaire version!) and 42 with her friends. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, as well as all her siblings. She is survived by nephews Dwayne Overman (Kathy) of Eastland, Texas, Marlin Overman (Linda) of Cisco, Texas, Fred Overman (Tina) of Cooper, Texas, Dennis Nixon (Maxine) of China Springs, Texas, Niece Brenda Nixon Lewis of Mason, Texas as well as numerous other great nieces and nephews and many, many friends and colleagues. Services for Helen will be on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at Harris Avenue Baptist Church (1026 East Harris Avenue) at 11:00am, with a family meal at the church afterward. A special thanks to Park Plaza Nursing Home (especially Sherrie Scott and Laura Coffey) for their special care of Helen, along with all the nurses from West Texas Rehab’s Hospice of San Angelo for their loving care of her in her final days. Helen’s favorite expression was “it’s the gospel that works, not us (our job is to communicate the gospel and let it play itself out in people’s hearts)” and her favorite scripture comes from Romans 8:28…”And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” Thank you for your lifelong obedience to the Lord’s calling to the foreign mission field my friend….and in Helen’s famous last words each time she parted your company…..”the Lord bless”.