Shirley Nelms
Mrs. Shirley J. Nelms, or “Mamaw” as many lovingly called her, 80, of Fulton went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019, at Clinton-Hickman I.C.F.
She was born on Sept. 7, 1938, to W.D. Leon and Mary Imogene Kimbell Johnson. She married Billy A. Nelms Sr. on Dec. 18, 1954. He preceded her death in November 2017.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Hornbeak Funeral Chapel, with burial to follow in Obion County Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
The family requests memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1140, Fulton, KY 42041.
She was a homemaker and a devoted Christian. Her home was open to many over the years. She joked often about having had only four children, but never knowing how many might show up for supper.
She was a volunteer with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and at her church, First Baptist Church in Fulton. She helped to prepare and serve meals for the church through Wednesday night meals, the grief ministry and vacation bible school.
She was a member of the sanctuary choir where she memorized all the music and rarely used a choral book. She and her husband loved southern gospel music and attended as many local concerts as they could. They also read and memorized much scripture. She was known to repeat back scriptures read to her by our pastor whenever he came to call. She loved the Lord and served Him faithfully. She was a member of the Fellowshippers Sunday School class. She loved and took care of her family well.
She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had four children, Kay (Tony) Mathias, Billy (Bubba) Nelms Jr., Ronnie (Melissa) Nelms, Connie Smith and her fiancé, Jon Meacham. She was the grandmother of Bryant (Amanda) Mathias, Shaun Mathias, Charity (Malcolm) Lester, Loren (Amanda) Nelms, Jason (Melissa) Nelms, Jerrod (Jamie) Nelms, Trevor Ward and his fiancé, Amanda Reasons, and Carly Smith and her fiancé, Tyrome Sharpe.
Her grandchildren by heart are Trent (Tara) Dowdy and Kassie (Ben) Hooks. Her children by heart are Jere (Patty) Hughes and Joe (Janet) Dowdy. She was the great-grandmother of Katlynn Mathias, Kamrynne Mathias and Joseph Mathias, Macie Lester, Balie Lester, PJ Nelms, Jersey Nelms, Audrey Nelms, Lucy Jane Nelms, Drew Nelms, Emma Nelms, Adaline Nelms, Leo Nelms, Maggie Nelms, Chance Ward, Nevaeh Reasons and Laiken Reasons. Her great-grandchildren by heart are Parker and Jase Dowdy. She has a sister-in-law, Janice Cooley Johnson of Louisville, Ky., who survives as well as two nephews, Ronnie E. Johnson Jr. and Scott W. Johnson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Billy A. Nelms Sr.; and her brother, Ronald Earl Johnson Sr.
Online tributes may be left at www.hornbeakfuneralchapel.com.
Published 1.23.19