Lea Fernandez Tabler

Lea Fernandez Tabler, known to many as Nurse Lea, and affectionately known as Munny or Bahama Mama to her family, was born on April 8, 1948, in Marshall, Texas, to Robert Anthony Fernandez and Ada Anderson Fernandez. On December 13, 2020, Lea peacefully went to her heavenly home while holding her daughter's hand and surrounded by loved ones.

After graduating from Irving High School in 1966, where she was the first chair flutist in the Irving Tiger Band, she first attended West Texas State University, now known as West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. Shortly after, she realized she wanted to pursue a nursing degree which then led her to El Centro. While she was in school, she worked at St. Paul Methodist Hospital in the radiology unit. During her time spent in the medical field, she found her passion for pediatrics. Thus began her legacy of caring for countless patients and building lifelong relationships. Lea spent the last 32 years of her career working alongside her dearest friends and co-workers, Dr. Roger Knapp and Mary Jones.

Anyone who knew Lea knew how big her heart was and how much she loved social gatherings, especially those that included a deck of cards. Not a week went by that she wasn't involved in a card game at the Heritage Senior Center or at a friend's home. Lea was also an active member of Beta Sigma Phi for over forty years, until their chapter disbanded. Lea also volunteered many years at First Irving, teaching Sunday School to the 2-3-year-olds in her younger years with her mom and later, after her retirement, she enjoyed serving one day a week helping prepare for Sunday services. She also deeply loved spending time by the coast, enjoying the sea breeze and deep-sea fishing with her family.

Lea was preceded in death by her father, Robert, her mother, Pete, and her brother Bobby. She is survived by her daughter, Samantha Tabler Golightly (Reginald); sister Suellen Fernandez Lindsey (Ramsey); brother Steve Fernandez; three grandchildren: Julia Rae Amanns (Shey), Madeleine Golightly, and Jon Golightly; her cousin Tony Fernandez (Theresa) and his children Emily Fernandez Allison (Chris), and Melissa Fernandez Breunig (Rob); her nieces Ashley McGarry (Stephen) and Dove Fernandez Madewell (Paul); her nephews Anthony Fernandez (Stephanie), Lindsey Fernandez (Jessica) and Rob Lindsey (Jennifer) and her fourteen great-nephew and great-nieces.

A legacy of love and generosity, a joyous spirit, infectious laugh, and love for the Lord will be remembered and cherished by all who were friends of Lea. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made in her memory to Sky Ranch Christian Camps, a dear place in her family's heart. You can either give online at https://skyranch.org/pages/donate or by mail to Sky Ranch Development Office 7616 LBJ Freeway, Suite 500 Dallas, Texas 75251.