Dixie Lee Minear

Our beloved Dixie 84, of Sterling passed away on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, peacefully with family by her side.

A celebration of Dixie’s life will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, October 17, at the Sterling Church of the Nazarene. Following the service, the family invites you to join them for light refreshments in the fellowship hall.

No one could have been much prouder of being born in Wyoming and living on a ranch while growing up than Dixie. When asked by her mother when Dixie was in her 40’s what she would change about the way she was raised and grew, her answer after thinking for about week on the question, was “absolutely nothing”.

She went home to the big white Condict ranch house on the Snowy Range Highway after being born in Rawlins Memorial Hospital on September 13, 1942 to Rene’ and Betty Vyvey. She was joined by her brother Raymond Rene’ three years later and then Tammy Jean sixteen years later.

Dixie lived her first 18 years on ranches in the Platte Valley. She attended school at Saratoga Elementary School and graduated in 1960 from Platte Valley High School exactly twenty years after her mother did. She then attended Arizona State College (now University of Northern Arizona) in Flagstaff Arizona.

Her proudest accomplishments are her marriage to Harold Minear (50 years), children Shannon Behning Minear, Adrianne (Keith) Behning Miller and Christopher (Kathy) Minear. Her five grandchildren Nicholas (Martinique) Miller, Daniel (Chelsea) Miller, Megan (Dan) Minear Becker, Melanie (Jason) Minear Wyn, and Missy (Matt) Minear, and great-grandchildren, Bode and Hayes Miller and Charlee Rose Wyn. Being involved with them and their activities were the center of her life. She was Job’s Daughter’s Bethel Board Member, Guardian and State Officers, Rainbow Girls Board Member, Girl Scouts Cookie Chairman, PTA room mothers, Little League Teams Mother, Lewis Palmer Booster Club Secretary, and 4-H Club Leader.

In addition to the family members listed above, she is also survived by her brother Ray Vyvey, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and very special friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents Rene’ and Betty Vyvey and her sister Tammy Vyvey Klingler.

While being involved with her family, she was also a lifetime Job’s Daughter, serving as a Past Honored Queen and a Majority Member, a 50+ year member and five time Worthy Matron of the Order of Eastern Star, Greeley Newcomers Club President and officers, five year Weld County Secretary of the Quarter Horse Association, worked for the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, sold Avon products, owned the Double D Horse Boarding Stable, worked for Sun Microsystems, the Greeley School District, and with her husband, Harold, in his home building business of over 50 years. Her life was full and busy, but she always had time for family, friends or anyone in need. She did all these things while dealing with the worst back problems for her entire life after a fall from a tree when she was 12 years old.

She was chosen the first Carbon County Cowbells (Cattlewomen) Rodeo Queen in 1959. There were nine contestants competing on horseback on a cold and rainy afternoon in May on a borrowed horse and tack. She and her mother attended parades and rodeos in Wyoming towns of Laramie, Cheyenne, Saratoga, Encampment, Casper and Douglas.

She loved knitting, latch work, cooking, riding and caring for horses, all animals, home decorating, flower arrangements, writing, sports, games and card playing especially Bridge and traveling. Always cheering for the Wyoming Cowboys.

She would like to be remembered as a good wife, mother and friend.

Donations can be made to the American Heart Association.