[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 160 (Monday, October 24, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              IN HONOR OF DEACONESS MATTIE LEE DIXON DAVIS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 24, 2011

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, Deaconess Mattie Lee Dixon Davis didn't 
arrive in New York City until she was 39 but still she has lived here 
for 61 years and is celebrating her 100th birthday today.
  She was born in Alabama on April 11, 1911 to Willie and Elar Dixon 
who had a farm in McWilliams. After graduating from Conecuh County 
Training School she married the Reverend Albert A. Davis, II who was 
pastor to many of the leading African Methodist Episcopal Churches. He 
served as Presiding Elder of Troy and then joined the larger Ozark 
District where Mrs. Dixon served as District Adviser of the Women's 
Missionary for nine years.
  She worked as a substitute teacher in public schools and thanks to 
her earlier training she was seamstress and hairdresser to her family, 
her church family, and to her friends and neighbors.
  In May, 1950, Rev. Dixon came to the St. Luke A.M.E. Church in New 
York City's Sugar Hill neighborhood where for 16 years Mrs. Dixon 
served as Advisor to the Missionary Society and President of the 
Women's Club. The Missionary Society became so large that she 
reorganized it into five `circles,' a structure that continues to this 
day.
  Missionary work was always her main interest and she held several 
statewide offices in the New York Conference Branch Missionary Society 
including Second Vice President for three years, and Treasurer for 
eight years. She also served as President of the New York A.M.E. 
Ministers Wives and Widowers Alliance and Secretary of the 
Interdenominational Ministers Wives and Widows Alliance.
  She and the Rev. Dixon moved to St. Steven Community A.M.E. Church 
where the Rev. Dixon served until he died 16 years later.
  Her ambition was always to become a nurse, but raising their five 
children and missionary work made that impossible. But several years 
ago she helped a friend, a nurse, operate a `House of Love' where 
patients discharged from hospitals, but too ill to go home, stayed. 
Here she not only helped with the daily care and feeding of these 
gravely ill people, but learned how to give medications and to handle 
injections. She was finally nursing, helping people in this hospice 
precursor.
  Around this time she was consecrated a Deaconess at the Allen 
Cathedral A.M.E. Church by Bishop Franklin Norris.
  I join her community in honoring this wonderful woman who gave a 
century of love and good works to the world. We are blessed to have 
her.

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