Debra “Debbie” Lynn Hixson

Debra “Debbie” Lynn Hixson died April 19. She was born June 14, 1952, in Lake Charles, LA, to Sanford and Billie Manuel. Debbie attended Baylor and earned a Bachelor of Science in home economics from the University of Houston. She and Harry Milton Hixson, BBA ’72, married July 24, 1971, in Lake Charles. Throughout their life together, Debbie and Milton were active members of First Baptist Church in Lake Charles and Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, and they helped found Austin Baptist Church. Debbie had a servant’s heart and was a young adult teacher/leader and chapel choir sponsor for many years, and she was Austin Baptist Church’s first children’s director. She was a member of the Junior League of Lake Charles and of Austin, chairing A Christmas Affair Merchant and the Necessities and Temptations Cookbook project. Debbie regularly played tennis with friends at Lost Creek Country Club, and she expressed her immense creativity and artistic talents through interior design, painting, knitting, making jewelry and love of music. Her loved ones enjoyed her cooking, and she was known for cooking the best Cajun food outside of Louisiana. Although a University of Houston graduate, Debbie’s true loyalty was always to Baylor. She was a proud Baylor mom to all three of her children and held the great honor of being a Baylor Regent wife for nine years. A fervent fan of all Baylor sports, Debbie received great joy from attending and tailgating with family and friends at events home and away, regardless of the distance. Debbie was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of nearly 51 years, who was a Baylor Regent from 2011 to 2020; son Les Hixson, BBA ’97, and wife Ashley, BBA ’96, of Austin; daughter Jana Hixson, BBA ’00, JD ’04, of Waco; son Justin Hixson, BBA ’10, and wife Laine, BSEd ’10, of Houston; grandchildren Avery Hixson, Davis Hixson, Eleanor Hixson and Abigail Hixson; brother Wayne Manuel and his wife Claire of Slidell, LA; brother Michael Manuel and his wife Melodie of Rowlett, TX; and sister Sandy Malcom and her husband David.