Nell Walker Jeffers

She was born to Samie Adams Walker and John David Walker on July 25, 1910 in San Antonio, Texas where she graduated from high school and attended college. Working for a San Antonio law firm, she met Leroy Jeffers on his first day as a young associate immediately following his graduation from the University of Texas Law School, Class of ’32. They married at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, San Antonio on February 8, 1935 and lived there until 1942 when Judge James A. Elkins recruited her husband, a gifted trial lawyer, to Vinson, Elkins, Weems and Francis. She was a devoted wife and actively supported his successful career as a senior partner of the firm, his leadership in the Houston, Texas and American bar associations, the American College of Trial Lawyers and other distinguished legal groups, his service on the board and as chairman of the University of Texas Board of Regents, the University of Texas Law School Foundation, the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, and their numerous other civic commitments until his untimely death in 1979.

Moving to the Memorial area's Piney Point Road in 1950, then a country venue of pine forests, oak groves and shell roads, Nell and Leroy became key civic leaders in the incorporation and development of Piney Point Village, serving as charter members of St. Francis Episcopal (Parish) Church, active leaders in the young Spring Branch Independent School District and other Village governance and community groups.

Possessed of life-long intellectual curiosity, she was a voracious reader with a wide range of interests, a skilled bridge player, an engaged participant in Rice University, University of Houston, Women's Institute and Houston Seminar courses and was a patron of the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Alley Theatre and Museum of Fine Arts. She was an enthusiastic educational and pleasure traveler and relished her last trip to Paris at the age of 94 with her daughter and son-in-law.

From 1942-1950 and from 1963 to the present, she was a faithful communicant of Christ Church Cathedral where she served on the altar guild and as a member of St. Martha’s Guild. She was a member of the Houston Country Club, the University of Texas Chancellor’s Council, former member of the Houston Club and the Texas Philosophical Society, former docent at the Museum of Fine Arts and the MFA Bayou Bend Collection, and past president of the Houston Bar Association Women’s Auxiliary, Kappa Alpha Theta Mother’s Club, Piney Point/Memorial Drive Garden Club and the Memorial Drive Elementary and Spring Branch Junior High School PTA’s. She offered unwavering support for the personal, professional and civic commitments of her son and daughter throughout their youth and adulthood and took great joy in the lives and affection of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

With a quiet inner strength and abiding faith, she handled both the tragedies and triumphs of her life with uncommon grace and unflappable fortitude and was beloved by her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many friends throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Leroy Jeffers (1979), son, John Leroy Jeffers, Jr. (1989), granddaughter, Adrienne Elise Jeffers (1986) and younger brother, John Thomas Walker (1992).

Grateful for the length of her loving presence in their lives are those who survive her: daughter, Mary Nell Jeffers Lovett and husband, H. Malcolm Lovett, Jr.; grandchildren, Mary Eliza Lovett Shaper and husband C. Park Shaper, Kate MacArthur Lovett Searls and husband, David T. Searls III, John Franklin Jeffers and wife, Elizabeth Huber Jeffers; great-grandchildren, Charles Lovett Shaper, Nell Bennett Shaper, Stephen Jeffers Shaper, Charles Crighton Jeffers, Hallie Walker Jeffers, Mary Eloise Searls and Caroline MacArthur Searls; daughter-in-law, Susan Pinson Jeffers Belding; and devoted friend of 70 years, Willie Byers, beloved by us all and to whom we are grateful for her loving attention to Mother and four generations of our family. We also wish to acknowledge the kindness and friendship of Mother's young friends, Pinky Bushman, Barbara Britt, Lucy Arnold and Ann Kelly, and we wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to Vivian Ann Taylor, Wanda Rochelle Radford and Paulette Robinson for their respectful and devoted care during the past decade and to the Houston Hospice Blue Team for its gentle, dignified attention during the past year.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 18th at 10 o'clock in the morning at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Ave, 77002 with the The Very Rev. Barkley Thompson officiating, followed by a reception at the Cathedral. Following the reception, a private interment will be held. Pallbearers will be her son-in-law, grandson, grandsons-in-law and great-grandsons.

For those desiring, the family suggests donations to the Christ Church Cathedral Endowment Fund, 1117 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002.