Ava Louise Lester Nelson

Ava Louise Lester Nelson, age 97, passed away on February 26, 2019. Our family’s Guiding Light was born on October 19, 1921 in Shreveport, Louisiana to Ed Lester and Ava Lester. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Rockwall.

Ava grew up in Coushatta, Louisiana on her family’s farm. She had fifty-five great years of marriage to Jimmy Nelson before he passed away in 1999. His job with Mobil took them to west Texas in 1944 and they lived in Kermit, Midland, Andrews, and Seminole. Ava was a homemaker, piano teacher, and great friend to so many people in those wonderful west Texas towns. Upon retirement, they moved to Rockwall and she continued to be a major influence on her entire family. She will always be remembered for her love of family, church, music, America, travel, and the Texas Rangers baseball team. She was very loving, compassionate, and her Christian values were always at the center of her complete life. Ava’s parents, two brothers, and two sisters preceded her in death.

She is survived by her daughter Mary Ann Paget and husband John of Austin, her son Jim and wife Susan of Trophy Club, her daughter Rudi English and husband Paul of Forney, five grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, and numerous other family members.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Friday (March 1, 2019) at the First United Methodist Church in Rockwall and interment will follow at the Springville Cemetery in Coushatta, Louisiana at 4:30 that afternoon.

The family would especially like to thank the wonderful people of Brookdale Summer Ridge in Rockwall and Vitas Healthcare in Greenville for their many years of loving and excellent care. As an alternative to flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Bridge Ministry of Acadiana in Lafayette, Louisiana (bridgeacadiana.com).