Cornelia Lucille Nelson

Cornelia (Connie) Nelson was born on September 18, 1925, to Lena and Lewis Hayes Malone in Grand Prairie, Texas. They later moved to Oak Cliff, Texas. Connie graduated from W.H. Adamson High School. She married Joe Nelson on December 8, 1945, and in the spring of 1953 they moved to Dallas. Connie worked as a secretary for companies like General Electric and Encyclopedia Britannica, and was also a sales representative for showrooms at Market Hall. She had some fun and interesting jobs like selling flocked Christmas trees in the mid 50’s in the shopping district of the affluent neighborhood of Highland Park. The trees were flocked in the basement and brought up by conveyor belt to the showroom. Some buyers asked her to decorate the trees after they were delivered. She also worked for a vendor at the State Fair selling blown glass items. Connie was an extra in the movie “State Fair” with Pat Boone and Ann-Margret. She had so much fun as a member of the Dallas Summer Musicals Guild. The Guild provided opening night dinner for the company and another night they entertained the company in the home of a Dallas socialite. She enjoyed all the musicals, entertaining the production company, and meeting many celebrities.

Following Joe’s passing on Christmas Eve of 1993, she became a volunteer in the heart department of Baylor Hospital, giving support to others like she received when Joe had his heart transplant. She enjoyed volunteering and continued that when she moved to Houston in 2004 to be closer to her daughter and family. She joined the Academy of Lifelong Learning at Lone Star College and was a board member, recruiting speakers and teachers for this program. She became a member of Bear Creek United Methodist Church and joined the Betwixt and Between Sunday School class where she quickly made lifelong friends, and was active in the church by volunteering in several areas such as counting the collections, preparing pew pockets, Energizers, Fellowship Friday, and organizing receptions, and was a member of the Miriam Circle.

Connie was always very strong in her faith and attended church and Sunday School. COVID interrupted that and she then watched church on t.v. every Sunday, often times watching more than one service.

Connie is survived by her daughter, Carole Williams and husband, David, grand daughter Lacy Dyer and husband Charles, great grandchildren Autumn, Quintin, and Zoey; grandson Jason Williams and wife Laura, and great grandchildren Jake and Maggie.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 5th, at 2:00 p.m at Bear Creek United Methodist Church, 16000 Rippling Water Drive, in Houston, Texas. A reception will follow at the church. The family invites guests to wear beautiful colors in Connie's honor.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Bear Creek United Methodist Church, M.D. Anderson for ovarian cancer research, or the American Heart Association.