Willie L. Dixon, Jr. (Jay) was born on July 8, 1967 to Willie L. Dixon, Sr. and Jessie Mae Coleman Dixon in Mobile, Alabama. Willie attended John L. LeFlore High School in Mobile, Alabama, graduated from Alabama State University in 1993 as a Journalism major and was a proud member and scholarship recipient of the ASU Hornet Marching Band as a trombone player for all his years of college. Many of his college friends were frat brothers from his band fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi.. Willie's photojournalism career spanned stations like Channel 8 in Montgomery, Alabama; Channel 10 in Mobile, Alabama; and WQAD News 8 in Moline, IL. His next journey took him to WFTV in Orlando, Florida until he moved to Houston, Texas in 2006 to work for KTRK ABC 13 News. Jay created beautiful stories covering the Texans, Astros, Rockets, Super Bowls, political conventions, elections, day-to-day life in Houston, and most recently, tireless coverage on the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on Houstonians.

After dating for almost 7 years, college sweethearts Willie and Dorothy married in 1994 in Jasmine Hills Garden in Montgomery, Alabama. Dorothy, affectionately known as "My Queen" in Jay's phone, was truly the love of his life. He cherished her so much for the love, light, and laughter she brought into his life and she cherished him for the same. They were truly each other's best friends, loudest supporters, and passionate partners. After a beautiful year of marriage, Jay and Dorothy welcomed their eldest daughter, Dominique Jasmine Dixon into the world. Three and a half years later, their second daughter, Sydney Walters Dixon, joined and completed their loving family.

Jay and Dorothy loved taking their girls on exciting excursions in and around Orlando, beach trips, Disney parks and cruises, trips abroad, etc. Having his nieces Alexis and Alyah live around the corner, Jay was able to include them in the fun as if they were his own.

If you ever had the pleasure or some might say misfortune to attend one of Willie's spin classes, you knew he was going to push you and blast some techno music! He was a spin instructor at many places, including the YMCA in both Orlando, FL and Spring, TX and Villa Sports in The Woodlands, TX.

Jay never did things halfway. You can see that in the way he lived his life, made an impact on so many people, and loved his wife, kids, and rest of the family so fiercely. With that passionate and competitive edge, Jay truly found joy in spending time with his family and friends, blasting Cowboys and Auburn games in the movie room, having pool parties, traveling the world with his family, and beating people in the game room in foosball and Pacman. On the weekends you could find Willie attending sports games of friend's, church member's, and neighbor's kids, working out, shopping for shoes for him and his wife, and FaceTiming his daughters in college.

Jay and Dorothy just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and took an incredible trip to Lake Como and Venice in Italy. He was so excited to do two of his favorite things: spend time with his wife and travel the world. Willie sent many, many pictures to his family members and friends and especially his daughters.

Willie was so proud of his two daughters and had a special and unique bond with each of them. In 2009 after dropping Dominique off on her first day of high school, he sat in the parking lot and cried. After helping Sydney move into her sophomore year of college apartment in 2018, he cried on the way to the airport. Jay valued his gift of fatherhood so much that every Valentine's and Father's Day since they were born, he would buy presents for his daughters, thanking them for being his children. His love truly can not be matched.

Several people all over the world are mourning this incredible man: his devoted and loving wife, Dorothy Brown Dixon, his smart beautiful daughters, Dominique Jasmine Dixon who is attending medical school at Meharry Medical School and Sydney Walters Dixon who is an incoming senior at Indiana University; parents, Willie L. Dixon Sr. and Jessie Mae Dixon and sister Angela Dixon and half-brother Brent Poellnitz (Felicia); three brother-in-laws, Maurice Brown (Paula), Derrick Brown, and Roderick Brown (Shawn); three sister-in-laws: Wanda Brown DeJarnette (Henry "Dee"), Brenda Brown Hunter, and Terlisa Brown Sheppard; several aunts and uncles who loved him dearly, nieces and nephews who he spent plenty of time with, cherished friends, and long-time colleagues.

At 11am a private ceremony will be held for close friends and family by invitation only to ensure social distancing is still occurring. ABC 13 will be taping and livestreaming this service for all who want to celebrate and honor Jay's life. On Saturday, you can go to abc13.com where a link will direct you to a site where at 11am CST the live broadcast will start.

Arrangements are under the direction of Allen Dave Funeral Home and Crematorium

2103 Cypress Landing Rd. Houston, Texas 77090 / (713)480-2966

Condolences may be left for the family online at www.AllenDave.com