Our beloved friend and veteran farm broadcaster Dix Harper went to his eternal reward today, surrounded by his devoted wife and members of their church family.

Many of us have been following the journey of Dix and his wife Harriet after he was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of this year. She has been keeping friends and family up to date with Dix’s condition on CaringBridge, especially in the last couple of weeks. It has been a beautiful story of facing the end of life on Earth with the promise of eternal life in Heaven. Harriet’s description of her husband’s last moments are very poignant. “It was a Holy time, a moment of peace and love and joy that there was no longer any pain but a joyful reunion with those he loved who were waiting for him,” she wrote.

Harriet says she is considering having his service at St. Luke’s in Hickory on Saturday morning, but no details yet. Dix was 89 years old and is survived by Harriet, two children and several grandchildren.

Dix will be remembered by many in this industry as a prominent farm broadcaster who began his career in 1946 after graduating from Iowa State University. He was best known for his time with WRAL-TV and the Tobacco Radio Network with Ray Wilkinson and Ken Tanner. Dix was an integral part of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) for 65 years of the association’s 69 year history as both a broadcaster and allied industry member. Dix received the Meritorious Service Award in 1959, served as President in 1988 and was Historian for a number of years. NAFB has honored Dix by inducting him into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and naming the meritorious service award in his honor in 2006.

Watch Dix talk about farm broadcasting and his career on YouTube below:

Rest in Peace with the Lord, Dix. You will be missed.