Pauline Chapple Nelson

Pauline "Polly" Chapple Nelson, of Abilene, passed away Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at the age of 96. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2008 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Graveside services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 21, 2008 at Seaside Memorial Park in Corpus Christi, Texas. Visitation will be Friday evening from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home and people are welcome to come prior to the service for viewing. May 6, 1912, Polly was born in Christoval, Texas to the late Frank Chapple and D Lula (Shepperd) Chapple. She graduated from Abilene Christian College with a Bachelor's Degree in 1933 and received her Master's Degree from Texas A & I in Kingsville, which is now Texas A & M Kingsville. On October 16, 1940, Polly married J. Don Nelson, Jr. He preceded her in death on August 30, 1978. She lived in Corpus Christi, Texas and in Kingsville, Texas from 1959 to 2001, when she moved to Abilene. Polly previously taught Mathematics at Abilene Christian College, Kilgore Junior College, Winnsboro High School, Tyler High School, Kingsville Middle School and Texas A & I. After her retirement from Texas A & I, she volunteered tutoring students from middle school age to graduate students. Polly was an active member of the Senior Women's Golf Association until she was 86 years old. She was also a member of the Lighthouse for the Blind Corpus Christi Board, Friends of the ACU Library Board and Highland Church of Christ in Abilene. Polly was honored in 2002 as a "Friend of The ACU Library". Preceding her in death were her parents and her husband. She is survived by one son, Don C. Nelson and his wife Sandra, of Kingwood, Texas; one daughter, Karen Hendrick, of Abilene, Texas; one brother, Frank Chapple, of Slaton, Texas; one sister, Sarah Jarrett and her husband William, of Hobbs, New Mexico; four grandchildren, Joel Hendrick and Jay Hendrick, both of Abilene, Reagan Nelson and his wife Stephanie, of Houston, and Victoria Nelson, also of Houston; two great-grandchildren, Baylee and Brice Nelson, of Houston; as well as several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Nelson Family Library Endowment Fund, ACU Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699.