THELMA NELL WALKER WAS BORN MARCH 7, 1935, IN SAN SABA. SHE WAS THE YOUNGEST OF 5 CHILDREN BORN TO ALFRED JACKSON WALKER, JR. AND VELMA TEREASE EDWARDS WALKER. SHE WAS A SELF-PROCLAIMED TOMBOY WHO WOULD DO WHATEVER SHE COULD TO BE OUTSIDE WITH HER DADDY INSTEAD OF INSIDE LEARNING HOW TO BE A 'GIRL' FROM HER MOMMA.

FAST FORWARD TO APRIL 9, 1950 WHEN SHE MARRIED GEORGE RAY MCHORSE AT HER PARENTS HOUSE IN SAN SABA. THIS PAST ANNIVERSARY THEY CELEBRATED 72 YEARS TOGETHER WITH THEIR 5 CHILDREN, GEORGE, JR., JACK, MARSHA, PAM AND TODD.

VERY EARLY IN THEIR MARRIAGE, GEORGE BECAME A MINISTER AND NELL BECAME A MINISTER'S WIFE. AS THEY MOVED FROM CHURCH TO CHURCH, SHE BECAME 'THE HELPING HAND' EVERYWHERE SHE WENT [THIS INCLUDES PLAYING THE PIANO OR ORGAN, BEING OR HELPING TO TEACH SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES, BEING PART OF THE WMU AND WHATEVER A PHONE CALL REQUEST NEEDED.] IN 1965, GEORGE JOINED THE NAVY AND THAT MEANT THAT NELL AND THE CHILDREN JOINED THE NAVY, TOO. YEP, NOW SHE WAS A CHAPLAIN'S WIFE AND AN OFFICER'S WIFE. SHE WOULD SOON LEARN ALL THE RULES AN REGULATIONS THAT WERE REQUIRED OF AN OFFICER'S WIFE AND A CHAPLAIN'S WIFE. [NOT SO MUCH THE CHILDREN, THOUGH!]

DURING THE YEARS FROM 1965 TO 1986 THERE WERE MANY TIMES, WITH GEORGE DEPLOYED SOMEWHERE, THAT SHE WAS IN CHARGE OF IT ALL. ALL THE DECISIONS CONCERNING THE KIDS, THE VEHICLES, THE HOUSES, THE DOGS, ETC. THEN, IN 1986, THEY BOTH RETIRED FROM THE NAVY, AND CAME BACK HOME TO SAN SABA.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO, ONCE THEY MET HER, WERE TOUCHED BY HER SWEET SMILE, HER LOVING SPIRIT, HER CALM DEMEANOR, HER ABILITY TO STEP IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT SPOT THAT WAS NEEDED TO MAKE THINGS WORK BETTER. SO MANY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND JUST ACQUAINTANCES, FROM TEXAS TO THE WEST COAST AND TO THE EAST COAST, WHO WILL MISS THAT SMILE AND THAT BEAUTIFUL ALTO VOICE THAT ALWAYS HARMONIZED PERFECTLY. PICTURE THE EXTREMELY HUGE CROWD WAITING FOR HER AT HEAVEN'S GATES EARLY IN THE MORNING OF SATURDAY JUNE 25, 2022.

SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER PARENTS, ALFRED AND VELMA; ALL OF HER SIBLINGS, JACK, BETTY, ROSE, AND EDWARD (SONNY), HER GRANDDAUGHTER ANGELA CARROLL AND HER GREAT-GREAT GRANDSON CAMERON HARBOUR.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND, GEORGE, SR., AS WELL AS HER CHILDREN AND THEIR SPOUSES, GEORGE, JR. AND JEANNE [KERRVILLE], JACK [GEORGETOWN], MARSHA AND BOB [SAN SABA], PAM AND ANDY [GREENVILLE, NC] AND TODD AND SHELLY [FT. WORTH]. HER 18 GRANDCHILDREN: PATRICIA, TAMI, JACKSON AND PAIGE, LINDSAY AND BRITTAN, GINA, LARENDA, RANDELL AND TERA-LYN, JANELL, KAYLIE AND NOEL, MICAH, CRAIG AND MINDY AND AMANDA AND JAY. HER 28 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN: ZOE, ANDREW, JACS, KADENCE, KASH, JAYLEN, BJ AND ANGELYN, ASA, TRAVIS AND TABITHA, JOSH AND CHEYENNE, BRIAN, HEATH, KARISMA, MATTHEW, LUCAS, JACOB, RHETT, RANDI-LYN, MAECEE, QUINN, CALLA, RHETT, TESSA, GUNNER AND FALLYN. AND HER 4 GREAT-GREAT GRANDCHILDREN: SHANE, DRAKE, MAEVRI AND VIOLET.

FOR MEMORIALS: RIVA RIDGE ASST. LIVING & MEMORY CARE, 801 RIVA RIDGE DRIVE, LEANDER, TX 78641-8984