Nathalie Massingill Sheeler

Nathalie (Massingill) Sheeler, 91, of Lufkin, the daughter of the late Annie Laurie (Card) and Nathaniel A. Massingill, was born August 10, 1919 in Lufkin and died June 14, 2011 in a local nursing home.

She was a 1938 graduate of Lufkin High School. she played drums in the first marching band at LHS. She completed business training at Satterwhite Commercial College in Lufkin. During World War II, she worked for the U. S. Civil Service in Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, TX for U. S. Army in Public Relations. She worked for the Veterans Administration branch office in Lufkin until the office was closed in 1957.

Mrs. Sheeler enjoyed painting in oil and water colors and was a charter member of The Lufkin Art League, which was formed in the 1950's. She was a member of The Daughters Of The American Revolution. She was one of the founders of the "Massingill Reunion", which was held in Lufkin for about 20 years. She had done extensive research on the Massingill family tree. She is a life member of the Lufkin High School Alumni. In December 1999, Nathalie and her sister, Annie Marie, established an endowed scholarship with the Alumni Association in memory of their parents, with the first scholarship given in the year 2000.

She was a lifetime Methodist and was a member of First United Methodist Church in Lufkin. A group of her friends formed a sewing and craft club called, "The Nimble Thimble Club", which met monthly for about 20 years. She was a good letter writer, an excellent seamstress, an excellent cook, loved nature and fed the birds and pets, and she loved flowers. She treasured her friends and family and she had many lifetime friends. She was a good person and will be missed. She was the wind beneath my wings.

Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Edward Sheeler, of Lufkin; two nieces and their husbands, Margaret and Clay Stephenson of Lubbock, TX; Natalie and Joseph Michel of Victoria, TX; two great-nieces, Misha Williams of Seattle, WA, and Cecilia Lopez and her husband, Dr. David Lopez of Sioux City, IA; three great-great nephews; one great-great niece; several cousins; and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Annie Marie Jimerson in 2007; brother-in-law, H. W. Jimerson in 1988; sister, Daisy Kendall in 1972; and brother-in-law, W. N. Kendall in 1959.

Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Earl Card, Annon Card, David Card, Robert A. Massingill, Curtis Massingill and Abb Roquemore.

Expressions of sympathy in her memory may be made to First United Methodist Church Youth Programs, 805 East Denman Avenue, Lufkin, TX 75901 or to Massingill Scholarship Fund in care of Lufkin High School Alumni Association, P. O. Box 150837, Lufkin, TX 75915.

Services for Mrs. Sheeler will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 17, 2011 in the First United Methodist Church, Henderson Chapel, in Lufkin, with Rev. D. Nick Sholars and Rev. Vicki Davidson officiating. Interment will be later in Whitehouse Cemetery in Lufkin.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home