Nancy Shaw Acker-Fleshman

Nancy Acker Fleshman passed from this world on October 16, 2023 at home in Houston, Texas after a long, brave struggle with a glioblastoma brain tumor. She was born on November 26, 1951 in Dallas, TX to Dr. & Mrs. Julian H. Acker. She grew up in Wichita Falls, TX where she graduated with honors from Wichita Falls Senior High School. She continued her studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and graduated with honors with a degree in Art History. She then pursued her interest in the arts by attending the University of Texas where she earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science. After graduation from UT, Nancy moved to Houston, TX where she had accepted a job at the University of Houston in the Library of the College of Architecture. It was there that she met a bright architecture student named Duke Fleshman. They eventually became engaged and were married on May 21, 1983 in her parents’ back yard in Temple, TX. Nancy later worked at Walter P.Moore, CRS, APQC and Page, Southerland, Page.

Both Nancy and Duke loved to travel, so they bought an Airstream trailer, named it “Scout” and spent many vacations travelling all over the country making memories, enjoying the “great outdoors”, and taking beautiful photos at every destination.

Nancy had a gentle, loving disposition, and a heart of gold. She was kind to everyone she met, and she was loved by all who knew her. She was eager to please, and spent much of her life in service to others. After hurricane Katrina, she volunteered to help whenever and wherever she could making sure that the victims were fed and comfortable. She was an avid reader and belonged to several book clubs. Having spent many years in art classrooms across the state of Texas, Nancy never stopped painting. She was a gifted artist, and her family and friends were always happy and grateful to receive a “Nancy Fleshman” original on a birthday or for a Christmas gift. She even continued painting during the recoveries from her surgeries.

Nancy was predeceased by her parents, Julian H. Acker, MD & Elizabeth DeWitt Acker; her brother, Julian DeWitt Acker, and her little sister, Stacey Lee Acker.

She leaves behind her loving husband of 40 years, Duke Fleshman; her sister-in-law, Relda Fleshman of Denver, CO; her sisters; Adrian Acker Walker of Temple, TX; Karen Acker Dunlap of Sugar Land, TX; Diane Acker Jackson of Houston, TX, and many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews who all loved her and will miss her sweet smiles and hugs.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Kenneth R. Peak Brain & Pituitary Tumor Treatment Center at Houston Methodist Hospital. The family would like to thank Dr. David Baskin and Dr. Ivo Tremont of The Houston Methodist Hospital of Neurosurgery for their loving care during the last 5 ½ years and especially Rhozine Perez, Senior Speech Pathologist Houston Methodist Outpatient Rehab for her very kind and patient help with Nancy’s Aphasia.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be scheduled at a later date.