HOW OMER DIXON AND VIETTA THOMAS MET

       It was October 5th, 1934, and Vietta Thomas was staying a few days with her older sister Mabel Thomas Sweat. Mabel was sixteen years Vietta’s senior, and she and husband Paul N. Sweat were living on Grady Street extension, on the north side of the town of Blackshear, Georgia.

     Vietta was on the front porch of her sisters house that afternoon, when she heard the putt putting sound of a Model A Ford coming up the road, headed toward Blackshear. The passerby was Omer Dixon, a young man whom Vietta had met while gathering tobacco during the previous summer.

       Jokingly around the tobacco barns, Omer had told Vietta “You are the prettiest girl I have ever met, and I’m going to marry you”. Vietta confessed that she had been impressed by the antics of the young man. “I believe I loved him at first sight” she said to the author in later years.

       As the Model A came up within view of the house Omer saw Vietta standing on the porch. He brought the car to a stop and “Got down” she said. To “Get down” was an expression which dated back to the days of horseback travel, when folks actually had to get down from the horses back to visit with their neighbors.

      Vietta said that he came up to the porch and started up a conversation. After the two had talked for a while Omer told her that he was going to the show that night, and asked if she would like to accompany him. “The show”, was a little carnival which had come to Blackshear for a few days.

      Vietta replied that she would have to ask her sister Mabel, who was in charge of her, even though she was twenty years of age. Mabel gave her permission, and the date was made, The two then parted, each anxiously awaiting the evening of fun which lay ahead of them.

       They spent a part of the evening enjoying the carnival. Vietta said that she had never been to one, and it was an exciting evening for her. After their adventure the two started on the way back toward the home of her sister. After they had traveled a little distance Omer stopped the car and asked Vietta if she would like to talk for a while. She replied that she must go on home, and Omer promptly started the car and continued on the journey to her home. A courtship based upon honor and love began that night, and lasted for many years to come.

      My father told me, on a number of occasions that, “I Weren’t looking for a wife when I met your Ma, but I knew she was a fine woman and I soon decided I couldn’t do no better”.

       On June 5th, 1935 Omer asked Vietta to marry him. She accepted, and nine days later, on June 14th, 1935, the two of them began their life together. They were married by John Griffis, Pierce County Ordinary, at his home at 333 Ware St. in the town of Blackshear, Georgia. The union lasted for a total of just over sixty one years. They were finally separated on September 16th, 1995, the day that Omer Dixon passed away.