Emma Marie Withers, of Dixon, MO., was born on January 2, 1927 and departed this life at 3:15 p.m., on Sunday, January 31, 2016 at the age of 89 years old.  Emma made her first trip to the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in 1966 with her husband, Howard (Jr.) and daughter Debby (Withers) Myers.  The trip became an annual event for the Withers family, and Emma faithfully attended every Celebration until her health prevented it for the first time in 2014.

Emma made lifelong friends in the West Grandstands where she cheered on her family’s horses.  Between 1979 and 2009, she was privileged to see her family’s horses (Triple Trouble, Smoke Signal, Storm Charm, and Too Tall Jones) win eight world championships and three reserve world championships.  She loved the Tennessee Walking Horse breed and all the people involved. 

Those left to mourn the passing of Emma include: Her daughter and son-in-law, Debby and Glenn Myers, Rockwall, Texas; her granddaughter, Amanda Myers of Denton, Texas; one brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law, Tommy Withers and wife, Thelma, and Dorothy “Dot” Withers, all of Dixon; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were conducted for Emma at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, February 6, 2016, in the Dixon Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes, with Pastor Jerry Dooley, Word of Life Fellowship, Dixon, officiating.  Online condolences may be shared with the family of Mrs. Withers at    www.birminghammartinfuneralhomes.com