Dixie Lee (Biffle) Leys was born March 3, 1931, to Lydian May (Hythecker) and Jim Wilson Biffle in Baker, Montana. Dixie Lee graduated from high school in 1949. After a year working as a cashier, she enrolled at Montana State College. As she loved to sew and design clothes, she majored in Home Economics. She joined the Delta Gamma Sorority, where one of her roommates asked if she’d be interested in writing her cousin, John Leys, who had joined the Navy. Their correspondence lasted nearly two years which led to a marriage that lasted over 59 years.
After one year at MSC Dixie enrolled in summer school at Eastern Montana College to become a rural school teacher. She was hired at Lame Jones School, where she faced a year of challenges living on the prairie. Every week she would have three letters from Johnnie. She and John fell in love via the US Mail. They were married eight days after they first met, in person on December 26, 1952, It was then her education from a "town girl" to a farmer's wife began.
After John’s discharge, they settled down on his parents' farm 10 miles from Conrad and raised their five children. They spent 32 years on the farm. She was also involved with Brownie Scouts and 4-H, the Ledger Community Club, and home demonstration club.
After her children began school, she worked as a program assistant at the Agriculture Stabilization Services for three years and then became an administrative assistant for The Learning Resource Center and Easter Seals Hearing Program at Meadowlark School in Conrad for eleven years. After moving to Great Falls, Dixie was an administrative assistant at Easter Seals/Goodwill. She retired at the age of 69.
After John passed away in 2012, she volunteered at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and began square dancing lessons again. Dixie said she would like to be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and friend who always did the best she could. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
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