Mary Nell James

CROLEY FUNERAL HOME GILMER, TEXAS 903.843.2555 Mary Nell James 1929-2013 ----Gilmer Dateline---- GILMER " Memorial services for Mrs. Mary Nell Johnson James, 84, of Gilmer will be 10:00 A.M. Friday, September 20, 2013, at Croley Funeral Home Chapel in Gilmer with Bro. Charles Johnson officiating. Her ashes will be buried in the family plot in the Little Mound Cemetery. Family will receive friends on Thursday, September 19, from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M at the funeral home. Mary Nell passed away Tuesday, September 17, 2013 in Gilmer. She will be great missed by all who knew and loved her. She was born on her family"s farm between Rhonesboro and Little Mound on Jan. 14, 1929. Her grandfather ran the country store at what is now the intersection of FM 1002 S and 49 W. The rest of the family farmed, growing every fruit and vegetable the family needed or wanted. Mary Nell was a 1945, graduate of HHS and upon graduation from Harmony moved to Dallas to work in a defense plant during WWII. After the war ended she married Thedward Duane James on Dec. 22, 1946, and they moved to Commerce to attend college. She was employed by Lone Star Steel Federal Credit Union for 32 years, starting as a part time employee in 1955 and ending as the CEO in 1987. During her tenure there she attended the Credit Union Management School at the University of Houston, served as President of the Wright Patman Chapter of Credit Unions, and served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Credit Union League. After retirement, she and Duane resumed their love of travel by completing visits to all 50 states of the US; touring England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, and North Africa, as well as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. She was a member of Little Mound Missionary Baptist Church and has served as Church Clerk, Sunday School Teacher, Church Historian and Vacation Bible School worker. She also read the Little Mound Cemetery data for the update of a book about Upshur County Cemeteries and furnished the same material to the Upshur County Texas Gen Web site to get Little Mound cemetery information on-line. Mary Nell is survived by her son, Ted and his wife, Linda of Kilgore, son Richard and his wife, Lori of Diana; eight grandchildren, Stephanie, Brandy, Seth, Clint, David, Lindsay, Lauren and LiAnn; seven great grandchildren, Taylor, Jade, Dylan, Elizabeth, Cayden, Nate and Aidan; sister-in-law, Georgia James Duke; sister-in-law, Hilde Johnson; nephew, Randy Duke and his wife, Brenda and family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cliff and Verma Johnson; brother, Tommie Joe Johnson and beloved husband, Duane James on August 31, 2013. She loved God, Family, Friends, Music, Travel, and all the Wonders of God"s Creation. Donations may be made to Little Mound Cemetery Association, P.O, Box 1387, Gilmer, Texas 75644.