Bill Mixon, patriarch of Mixon Fruit Farms, dies at age 87

BRADENTON -- Bill Mixon, patriarch of Mixon Fruit Farms, was noted for his old-fashioned good manners, honesty and work ethic.

All characteristics helped make Mixon Fruit Farms a leading tourist destination in Bradenton and a favorite gift fruit shipper.

He was planting trees Wednesday when he suffered a heart attack. He died Friday night, Feb. 5, at Manatee Memorial Hospital, surrounded by family.

Mr. Mixon was 87.

"He was doing what he loved doing," said Janet Mixon, his daughter-in-law.

Mr. Mixon worked well past retirement. He was still working 10- to 12-hour days into his 70s.

Mr. Mixon once told The Herald he enjoyed climbing on a tractor and tilling the soil.

"I always thought I was one of the best blade people. I could shape a piece of land," he said.

Mr. Mixon and his parents started Mixon Fruit Farm in 1939 and he bought his first grove at age 16.

"We started with a No. 3 washtub on the back porch, washing oranges by hand," Mr. Mixon said in 2002 of the birth of the business.

Over the years the family adapted to the challeng

es of a changing economy, hurricanes, winter freezes and citrus diseases by expanding the gift shop and the tourism-related offerings at 2712 26th Ave. E.

In 2006, Dean and Janet Mixon, and Don Mixon, bought the business from Bill Mixon.

Mixon Fruit Farms celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2014. Among those gathered at the Mixon pavilion were representatives from nearly 20 Manatee County businesses, each at least 40 years old, and Gov. Rick Scott.

"It's great to see generations do things like this, and it's great that it's in Florida," Scott said.

In 2011, Mr. Mixon published his memories in a book, "Believers in Action," which takes readers into his world from the early 1900s into the new millennium.

Mr. Mixon called his a wonderful life, noting he found the love of his dreams in a woman he met when he was 4 years old, winning her over with Juicy Fruit chewing gum, and he also got to farm his own land, which is the work he loved. "The young people of today have no idea what we had to do just to eat," Mr. Mixon said. "We had six children in my family and we all had jobs to do."

Mr. Mixon and his wife, Mary, were born a few blocks from Manatee United Methodist Church, where he was a lifelong member long-time lay leader. They attended Manatee Elementary School and were married in 1949.

Mary Elizabeth Mixon, or Miss Mary, as she was known in the community, worked in the family business 46 years, and passed away at age 80 in 2009. She started the Mixon mail-order catalog in 1950.

Mr. Mixon was born May 26, 1928, in Bradenton. He was a third-generation Floridian.

Mr. Mixon was a pioneer in the citrus industry. He was director and past president of the Manatee County Farm Bureau, board member of Florida Citrus Mutual and founding member of the Florida Gift Fruit Shippers Association.

He often said that everything he had was from God and was a living example of God's grace.

Mr. Mixon is survived by his sons, Don Mixon, and his wife, Kathy, of Saluda, N.C.; and Dean Mixon and wife, Janet, of Anna Maria; grandchildren Stephen Mixon and wife, Rachael; Lori Mixon Swindle and husband, Josh, Rick Permuy, Julie Busa and husband, Heath; Kaycee Huber; and great-grandchildren, Aubrey Mixon, Brinkley and Bryce Busa and Sullivan Huber.

Mr. Mixon's celebration of life will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at Manatee United Methodist Church. 315 15th St. E., Bradenton. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Diabetes Association are requested.

James A. Jones Jr., East Manatee reporter, can be contacted at 941-745-7053 or on Twitter @jajones1.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bill Mixon, patriarch of Mixon Fruit Farms, dies at age 87 ."