DIXIE LEE COTTEN REITANO, died on March 8, 2008 at her daughter's residence in Eads, Tennessee at the age of 89. She was born March 5, 1919 in Merry Oaks, NC. Her childhood home was Morrisville, NC. She was the eldest daughter of Essie Goodwin Cotten and Richard Hilet Cotten. She graduated in 1935 from Cary High School, Cary, NC. She moved to Norfolk, VA to attend what later became Old Dominion. While in Norfolk, she met Joseph Reitano, Jr., from Wynne, AR who was stationed there with the Navy. They married in 1943. She was his devoted wife for 63 years as they partnered to raise their family and live their lives in Memphis, TN. She supported his careers as a U.S. Naval Captain, attorney, and area supervisor with the Federal Aviation Agency, and faithfully served him in his struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) until his death on January 11, 2006. A member of Second Presbyterian Church, she was a follower of her Lord, Jesus Christ. She exhibited genuine concern for the lives and well being of those God placed in her life. She invested her life in her immediate and extended family and lived out her faith on a daily basis. She was the loving mother of three children. They are Cathy Holley, and her husband Willie, of Eads; Richard Reitano, and his wife Marita, of Brandon, MS; and Vicki Simmons, and her husband Edward, of Memphis. She leaves six grandchildren, John Perkins, Wesley Perkins, Thomas Reitano, Christine Reitano Cook M.D., Grace Simmons and Caroline Simmons, and five great-grandchildren. She leaves her sister, Betty Lou Cotten Hardee, and her husband Wayne, of Seven Lakes, NC and seven nieces with whom she remained in contact throughout the many years and miles. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by two sisters, Celestine Cotten Nutt of Raleigh, NC and Dorothy Cotten Leffler of Miami, FL. She also leaves her brother-in-law, Walter Reitano, and his wife Karen, of Germantown. The family requests that memorials be sent to Second Presbyterian Church Foundation. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. Friday, March 14 in the Salmon Room of Second Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Second Presbyterian Church. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial Park Funeral Home 901-767-8930 www.memorialparkonline.com (Published in The Commercial Appeal on 3/12/2008.)