With a career in nursing, healthcare administration, and nursing education, Dixie Ferguson was dedicated to excellence in patient care. Dixie graduated from Indiana University School of Nursing and moved to Northwest Florida in the late 1960s. She worked in the Emergency Room at the now HCA FWB-Destin Hospital for many years until she decided to expand her skills with a Masters in Health Administration from the University of Alabama Birmingham. On her return to Florida, she assumed leadership roles at the White-Wilson Medical Clinic, expanding the facility and ensuring the highest standards of care. After a decade in administration, Dixie returned to her true passion delivering direct patient care in the Emergency Room. She worked at HCA FWB-Destin until her retirement from nursing. During her tenure in the Emergency Room, Dixie helped establish the NWFSC School of Nursing and was a member of the founding faculty. After retiring from nursing, Dixie transitioned to teaching. She loved the role of educator, and shared her expertise with the next generation of nurses. Dixie retired from education in 2020, leaving a legacy of knowledge throughout the region.

Dixie’s family wishes to honor her dedication to her patients and her students with a scholarship that supports and encourages students to follow Dixie’s example: deliver the highest standards of care with warmth and empathy.

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