Lea Etta Reddell & Gilbert Nixon

Leslie's sister

by Dan Reddell

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    Lea Etta Reddell was named after her father's two sisters, Lea and Etta. She was born in Atoka, Oklahoma to William Harve Reddell and Novella Anna (Howard). She met her husband-to-be, Gilbert Nixon, at the Rocky Ford Church in Amherst Texas. They married and had five children: Ray, Jerry, Janice and the twins--Delmer Carrol and Elmer Harold. See below photos for the family history of the five children (I have two so far).

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Photos at top of page:  1. Lea Etta in a barrell. 2. Family portrait--Lea Etta Reddell with brother Les and parents, William Harve and Novella Anna. On this line: 1. Lee Etta, Ida Howard (her aunt) and brother Les. 2. with Les. 3. portrait in trees.

1. Dick Cates, Thelma Cates, and Lea Etta. Looks like brother Les' hat on far right just past unknown friend. Lea Etta told me she loved to meet with her girl friends and play games. 2. Lea Etta and husband to be Gilbert Nixon along with J.D. Nixon on left, father Harve Reddell standing, Joe Dunn, and brother Les on far right. 3. Gilbert's mother and father, Otto and Sally Nixon. They later migrated to Wasco, CA

1. Les, Harve, Novella, Gilbert (Gib) and Lea Etta after moving to Pumpkin Center near Bakersfield CA. 2. Lea Etta, Novella (sitting on bumber) and Harve on farm in Rocky Ford. 3. Arthur Goldston, Lea Etta, Floyd Rodgers, Cecil Rodgers and Les (kneeling by snowman.)

1. Floyd Rodgers, Les, Arthur Goldston, Lea Etta, and Cecil Rodgers. 2. Church at Rocky Ford where she met Gilbert Nixon. First lady on left is Lena Dunn, Joe Dunn's mother. Lea Etta is taller girl near center of photo (4 girls in white). To her right is Isabelle Dunlap and Pauline Nixon. Lea Etta thinks the lady in back just to the right of the doorway is Novella. 3. Joe Dunn, Les, and Gib in Pumpkin Center, CA

1. Family portrait in 1935. 2. Lea Etta and Gib with kids--Ray, Jerry, Janice, Elmer and Delmer just after moving to Los Angeles, CA. 3. Family in L.A.

1. Family in L.A. 2. Family in 1962. 3. Family gathered around Novella in early 1970's when Novella was living with Lea Etta and Gib. 

Elmer Nixon

Elmer married Constance Sue Whisenhunt April 29, 1967 in Garden Grove, CA. Connie was born at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, March 1, 1948 to Bill and Erma Whisenhunt. They had three children:

 Melissa Marie (Missy) was born at George Air Force Base in Victorville, CA on December 7, 1968. She married Carl Edward Scarbrough on October 20, 1989. They have two sons, Joel Nixon Scarbrough, born March 20, 1997 in Houston Texas, and Will Edward Scarbrough, born June 6, 1999 in Houston Texas. 

Melinda Sue Nixon was stillborn on May 9, 1973 and is interred at Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, CA. 

Tamara Sue (Tammy) Nixon was born in Long Beach, CA on April 30, 1974. She married Russell Wade Sanders on May 20, 1995 in Heavener, Oklahoma. Russell is the son of Sidney and Frances Sanders from Heavener. Tammy and Russell have two children, Hannah Beth Sanders, born in Fort Smith, Arkansas on November 7, 1998 and Ethan Ross Sanders, born in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 30, 2000.

Elmer and Connie left California and moved to Heavener, Oklahoma in March of 1978.

Jerry Nixon (click to enlarge)