Carnellie Green Willingham

Nell Willingham, 95, of Mansfield, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday evening, at her home at the Isle at Watercrest. Nell was born on June 26, 1921, in Beech Grove, Tennessee, to James Madison and Ollie Simmons Green. Her mother died when she was a child, and her father moved the family to Plano, Texas, where she grew up. After graduating from Plano High School, she moved to El Paso, where she worked as a telephone operator. In 1941, she and met and married her husband, Herschel Harvey Willingham, known as “Willie” to his friends. The couple moved to the DFW Metroplex in the late 1940s, and became parents to three boys, Gene, Michael, and David. They eventually settled in Oak Cliff and lived in their home on Barlow Drive for 41 years. Always the consummate homemaker, Nell enjoyed cooking, sewing, and all kinds of crafts. She also worked at UT Southwestern Medical School as an administrative assistant but her main concern and responsibility over the past 62 years has been as an advocate and caregiver for her youngest son, David, who was autistic. David passed away on June 2, 2016. David was a resident at Breckenridge Village of Tyler for the past 17 years. Nell was an active member of First Baptist Church of Dallas, where she and Willie were members of the Meridian II Sunday School Class. After he passed away in 1996, Mrs. Willingham joined the Joy-Charis-Ruth Class. She loved listening to Dr. Robert Jeffers on her radio every morning as he led Bible Study. The family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Isle at Watercrest and Envoy Hospice for their constant care these past four years. We also appreciate the staff and residents at Town Village of Arlington where she lived from 2005 to 2012. Preceded in death by her husband, Herschel Harvey, and sons, Harvey Gene, James Michael, and Gerald David, brothers A.C. “Carmen” Green, Clarence Green, and Horace Gene Green, and sisters Mamie March, and Dorothy Yost, Nell is survived by her sister Ona Mae Thompson, and nephew, Gary Lee Green, granddaughters Jamie and husband Larry Frans, Leslie and husband Tres, and grandson, Jeff and wife Lorraine Willingham. She also is survived by seven great grandchildren: Jack and Lilly Frans, Will, Claire and Walker Moulton, and Austin and Natalie Willingham. Her childhood friends of 87 years, Lorene Gilliland and Goldie Hughes will also miss her dearly. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, October 1 at 10:00 a.m. at Laurel Land Funeral Home, 6000 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas, Texas. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Memorials are requested in lieu of flowers and can be made to Breckenridge Village of Texas, 15063 CR 1145, Tyler, Texas 75704.