Today we gather to remember and celebrate the life of Nancy—known to us as Mom, Mother, and for the last four decades, as Mamaw.

Nancy was a woman known for her strength and courage, her faith and love.

She loved the life she and Preston built together with their two girls, Luan and Lisa. She took great pride in caring for her family and made sure they were always well fed, well clothed, and well loved.

Mom was a wonderful cook. She grew vegetables, canned them, and turned them into meals everyone looked forward to. And no meal was complete without dessert! Her sweet tooth became a family trait she proudly passed down—and a few generations later, we are still carrying it on.

She will always be remembered for her cobblers, ice cream, chocolate cakes, and pies. Those desserts weren’t just a treat—they were part of what made her home feel like home

On basketball game days, Mom would make a great big, thick, half-pound cheeseburger for a pre-game snack so we’d have plenty of energy:) We grew up with the mind set that good food would cure most ailments :)

Mom was also gifted with a sewing machine. She loved studying dresses in department stores, then going home and recreating them for her girls. Luan and Lisa wore fancy dresses that looked like they were store bought, but on a farmer’s wife budget. She took pride in making sure her family had what they needed, and she always found a way to make it happen. She began working as a teachers aide as the girls were in high school to the provide opportunity for college.

Mom loved a clean and tidy house and tried her best to get her girls on board with her mission. One followed suit and one is still kind of a disaster to this day :) We all became accustomed to her happily humming hymns while she worked and our guest always got a good laugh from that humming sound coming from the kitchen:) Guest were equally surprised to see how fast tea glasses and plates would disappear NEAR the end of the meal:)

Before cell phones, Mom gave herself the handle “Tag Along” when she and Preston communicated via CB radios. She loved her role as a farmer’s wife and was always anxious to help when he needed a hand. When he called help on the CB multiple times a day, Tag Along was happy to be on her way. Every member of our family benefited from her servants’ heart over the years.

Church life was at the center of Mom and Dad’s lives. Their faith wasn’t just something they talked about on Sundays—it was something they lived every day, with love, grace, service, and generosity. They were builders of their church and were especially proud to worship in the new auditorium at First Baptist Church in Ropes. They taught Sunday school, training union, girls in action, VBS, and sponsored all the youth events in their active days. She continued to look for jobs that she could do in her later years. She was making runs to pick up the fried chicken for funerals and other church meals (despite the fact that everyone in nine counties was concerned about her driving:) and honking her horn for curbside pickups when she returned to the fellowship hall:) Church fellowships, potlucks, and serving alongside her church family were a big part of what defined her life.

Then came the grandchildren—and with them, one of her favorite titles: Mamaw.

She treasured that role. Mamaw made holidays and special occasions memorable, filling her home with big meals, endless snacks, desserts, and love. She created a place where grandchildren always felt welcome and where more family traditions were born.

When Papaw passed away 30 years ago, those traditions could have faded. Instead, mamaw was determined to keep them alive. She continued the gatherings, the meals, the celebrations, and worked to keep her family connected. She always cherished her farm life roots and enjoyed being able to manage the family farms the past 3 decades.

Her strength was especially evident in her two battles with breast cancer — first at 64, and again at 84. Both times, she fought couragelessly. Even during these battles she never wanted to ask for help. Over the years she reminded us EVERY SINGLE PHONE CALL and visit that she was sorry to bother us. Not sure we ever convinced her it was our pleasure to be able to lend her a hand.

Lisa was always her “Momma’s baby,” never living more than 30 miles away and always eager to stay close to home. Luan made her life in the Hill Country, but faithfully brought her family back to Ropesville for holidays, summer vacations, and the special fall birthday she shared with Mom. Those trips created countless treasured memories for our family.

The house on Arnett Street became a gathering place—where cousins played, meals were shared, stories were told, and grandchildren learned what family truly means. Our family shared endless laughs at our gatherings that we will cherish forever. Many of those traditions continue today in the next generation. Nancy and Preston didn’t just leave memories—they left a way of loving family that lives on.

Mamaw loved hearing about her great-grandchildren—what they were doing, learning, and becoming. She always treasured their visits to her house, loved to have little ones on her lap again and was anxious to hear their stories.

Nancy taught her family, by the way she lived, to put Jesus first. She showed us that faith is not spoken—it is lived.

She fought the good fight and kept the faith.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

We will miss you, but we will carry forward the love and faith you modeled for us.

….until we meet again in heaven you are forever in our hearts . 

The family will receive friends from 5:30-7:00 pm, Thursday, September 3, 2026 at Combest Family Funeral Homes. Services will be at 2:00 pm, Friday, September 4, 2026 at First Baptist Church in Ropesville with interment to follow at the Ropesville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Baptist Church Ropesville Building Program, PO Box 56, Ropesville, Texas 79358.