Nelda Bess Loyd

Nelda Bess Loyd, 87, passed away on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at her residence in Abilene, Texas. The daughter of Ida Pearl (Amonett) and Clarence King West, she was born on October 19, 1928 in McCamey, Texas, and was a 1948 graduate of McCamey High School. Nelda married Billy Esko Loyd in McCamey on November 20, 1948. She was a homemaker and a member of Hillcrest Church of Christ in Abilene. Nelda was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved the Lord with all of her heart. She was a wonderful cook and loved to make the grandkids her famous banana nut bread. Some of her favorite pastimes were watching all the kids at the lake house and watching the Texas Tech Lady Raiders play basketball. Her favorite time of the year was Christmas, and everyone knew it. Her house was decorated from top to bottom. The most precious things to her family are the needlepoint stockings that she had sewn for every child, and the memories of walking into her house with the beautiful music playing from her many music boxes. Her parents; brother, John Thomas West; sister, Dorothy Shaw, her husband Jim and their son James Shaw; and brother-in-law, Cecil Carr, preceded her in death. Nelda is survived by her husband of 67 years, Bill Loyd of Abilene; daughters, D’linda Evans and husband Jimmy of Little Elm, Texas, and Pam Stockard and husband Perry of Abilene, Texas; sister, Laudane Carr of Edmond, Oklahoma; sisters-in-law, Audrey West of Ruidoso, New Mexico, Carolyn and Alton Macon of Tyler, Texas and Wanda and Kenneth Loyd of Kerrville, Texas; six grandkids, Stacy Leach, Wesley Stockard, Leslie Keele, Kristina Prichard, Ryan Stockard, and Emily Stockard Duncan; and twelve great-grandkids and two on the way. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 9, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene with Terry Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Monday, February 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Loyd residence, 2721 Charter House Drive. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lubbock Children’s Home. Online condolences may be submitted at www.HamilFamilyFuneralHome.com.