Dixie O'Donnell

Dixie Mae O’Donnell (nee Costello) passed away peacefully with her daughters by her side on October 12, 2021.  Dixie was born on December 6th 1939. She was the oldest of 4 children born to Dick and May Costello. Dixie attended Natrona County Public Schools and graduated from Natrona County High School in 1958. She then attended Black Hills State College where she met and married Jerri Webster, the father of her two daughters.  After their marriage ended she was working at First Interstate Bank where she met Bill Kern.  Bill and Dixie married and Bill adopted Dixie’s 2 daughters. She was widowed when he passed away in 1976.  Dixie later married Bob O’Donnell. They enjoyed 23 years of work and travel together until Bob’s passing in 2007. After Bob’s passing Dixie met and spent the next 9 years with Leland Hunter until his death in 2017.  Dixie enjoyed going to the Casper Senior Center for classes and meals. It was there where she met Dick Shamley.  Dick and Dixie spent the next 2 years taking care of each other, cooking for each other and traveling until Dick’s passing a year ago this month.

Dixie worked throughout the years in Banking (First Interstate Bank), bookkeeping (John Elbogen), real estate (Luker Realty) and jewelry sales (Jack McCann). She also owned the Lady Bug Boutique at Sunrise Shopping Center.

Dixie was able to spend the last 12 winters in Southwest Florida near her oldest daughter, and continued to spend warmer months in Casper. As a hobby, Dixie took up watercolor painting and often took lessons to socialize and improve her skills.  She would often take her paintings to her beloved family reunions for the silent auction which she last attended in August, and now many of her paintings hang in the homes of her grandkids and extended family members. Known for being a social butterfly, Dixie enjoyed long term friendships with her “bank girls.”  They played bridge for several decades and had monthly birthday lunches. She also still enjoyed breakfast gatherings with her highschool friends from the NCHS class of 1958.  Her favorite company most recently were her 2 papillons Sadie and Bella. Dixie will always be remembered as the life of the party, with a special ability to cut through tension with a timely ( and sometimes inappropriate) joke.

Dixie is survived by her daughters Leslie Kinsey (Steve Strickler) and Wendy Huff (John); grandchildren Brandon Kinsey (Tiffany), Amanda Kinsey, Amy Tepas (Kyle), Nicole Nelson (Terry) and Natalie Norton; great grandchildren James Kinsey, Josie Tepas and Rogen Nelson.

Dixie never met a stranger and will be missed by all that knew her.

Celebration of Life will be held at the Yellowstone Garage on Sunday October 24th at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family requests to please make a donation to Casper Senior Center, or Central Wyoming Hospice Kloefkorn Home in Dixie's name.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bustard & Jacoby Funeral Home , 600 CY Avenue, Casper, WY 82601.