About Marlene: I am the eldest child of the late Charlie and Gladys Mixon. My father was a career army officer, and as a family we were fortunate to spend many of our years traveling within the United States and to such countries as Japan, Germany, Italy, and France. My brother and sisters were extremely protective of each other. With a family of seven we played together, worshipped together and even fought together. We were fortunate to have a stay-at-home mother, who made sure we lacked for nothing. We enjoyed a rich family heritage making a mark wherever the Mixon clan was stationed. I graduated from High School while we were stationed in Stuttgart Germany. When I began college, I moved to central Texas to attend the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. At the time, it was a very strict, all girls Baptist school that my father determined would keep me safe while out of his formidable reach. Learning, Teaching and Education has been a constant in my life. It was during my internship teaching in Kileen Texas that I met “Coach Zip.” We married November 23, 1967. My long career in Education in the State of Texas had begun. I was a teacher, guidance counselor, elementary principal, high school principal and then a superintendent first for Rogers ISD & then for Clifton ISD. As I moved up the ranks, my education had to also reflect my new positions. I earned a Bachelor of Science, Masters, Specialist, and Doctorate of Education degrees. I am presently employed by the University of Mary Hardin Baylor (where it all began) as the Dean of Education heading up their Doctoral Program. Although I am most fortunate to have enjoyed a successful and rewarding career path, it is not there where I find my hearts content ... home and family is what I cherish most.
We have always cultivated the love of family through our efforts to participate in family gatherings with our Ohana on the Hawaiian Islands and the Mixon’s in Georgia and Florida. We continue to inspire and often force our own children to continue the celebration of our heritage and to maintain those ties of family that keep us interwoven with the power of love. Although my husband Paul loved coaching, he left it behind to assist his parents with the family convenience store business. Paul moved the family to his hometown of Rosebud, Texas which enhanced the financial prospects for the family and Rosebud is our home today. It was my good fortune to have found my soul mate forty-two years ago, Paul Zipperlen. We have been blessed with three wonderful children, Paul Allen, Michelle, and Brian. We are proud of the daughter-in-law, Susan, and the son-in-law, Jason. We have 7 adorable and spoiled grandchildren who daily bless our lives: Daniel, Dalton, Jackson, Morgan, Hayden, Mason, and Makenna.
