Jerry Nell Allen

The family moved to Edna, Texas while she was a child. She grew up in a rural farming and ranching environment, learning to ride at a young age. She was quick to tell you that she was a better cowboy and better on a cutting horse than the transient cowboys hired to assist with working the cattle. She lived their life, eating at the campfire with them and learning to subsist on little, making the most of everything.

The family moved back to Holland a few years later. And her life was filled with hard work, dedicated to helping the family to raise crops, slaughter and process hogs and calves, rendering lye soap, washing clothes in a cauldron over a fire and all the things necessary to make it. Never was there an absence of faith in their lives. Her dad was an elder and preacher in the Church of Christ and they strictly observed their faith. It held them together and continued throughout her life.

She attended high school at Holland and played guard on the basketball team, graduating along with the 25 or so others in her class. After High School she traveled to Austin, Texas to attend business school. This is where she met the love of her life, Al. He was fresh out of the navy and when he saw her walking on the street, he whistled at her.

She was his from that moment.

They married and moved to rural East Texas so Al could work in the newly discovered oil field. While Al worked, Jerry raised 3 boys. She instilled in them the work ethic and values she had grown up with giving all she had every day to making sure her “Boys” had everything they needed to make it in life. She taught us to “Never Give Up”. Living by that mantra long before the words were made famous by Marcus Luttrell.

She loved her plants and flowers, her yard always an amazing array of beauty. She played golf alongside her love and won her share of contests including low gross in a Panorama C.C. Women’s Club Championship. She was adventurous, breaking her arm while riding a motorcycle, bungee jumping at age 80. Fighting off a dog attack and driving herself to the hospital. Climbing the guardrail fence at the assisted living home where she lived at age 90 just to “get out and walk around” so many times they finally took it down for fear she would fall.

She brightened everyone’s day when she came into the room. Always smiling and encouraging, with her signature question “Is there anything I can do for you?” no matter what burden she might be bearing. She walked with Jesus all day, every day and lived by his hand her entire life. There will never be another like her. If only we could be half the person she was we would be sure to see her in heaven.

We love you Mom and miss you more than you can know. Rest in peace until we meet again.

A visitation will be held at Cashner Funeral Home, located at 801 Teas Road, Conroe, TX 77303, on December 11, 2025, from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.

The funeral service will follow at the same location on December 11, 2025, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

Graveside services will be held at Rusk County Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. on December 11, 2025.