Nellie Ross Valigura

Nellie Ross Valigura, 89, passed away May 9, 2014 at a local nursing center. She was born in Oenaville, Texas to Lucy Irene Ross and Ewin Mayberry Lancaster on February 2, 1925. She married William J. Valigura of Temple on March 21, 1947. Visitation will be held Sunday, May 11, 2014 from 5-7 p.m. at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple. Funeral services will be held Monday, May 12, 2014 at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church Temple, 8015 West Adams Ave. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery. Nell graduated with honors from Temple High School and Temple Junior College. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and education from Baylor University in 1950. She retired in 1984 after teaching 28 years at the elementary, middle school, high school and college levels. She taught in Jarrell, Oenaville and served as teaching principal at Bentley Elementary. Nell also taught in Temple at Jefferson Elementary, Travis Junior High and Bonham Junior High schools. She was instructor of English at Temple College. Nell was an active member of the Temple-Belton Retired Teacher's Association, the Central Texas Chapter of the Baylor Alumni Association, the Baylor Bear Foundation, the Naomi Class of First Baptist Church in Temple, the Lambda Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, advisory committee for the Scott and White Plan Senior Care, City Federation of Women's Clubs, Friends of the Temple Public Library, Wednesday Club, and Bridge Club. She was a lifetime member of the Baylor Alumni Association, the Texas Retired Teachers, and the Parent Teacher Association of Texas. In 1999, she and her husband William J. Valigura were honored as Central Texas Chapter of the Baylor Alumni Association "Alumni of the Year". Mrs. Valigura was a member of First Baptist Church of Temple. Mrs. Valigura was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister Audrey Cassandra Zinn, and brothers Roy Edwin and Ewin Frazier Lancaster. She is survived by a daughter Nancy Kay Roush and husband Bill of Austin; a son, William Ross Valigura and wife Sheila of Lubbock; grandchildren Preston Ross Roush and wife Emily of Dallas, William Patrick Roush and wife Rachael of Huntsville, Alabama, Philip David Roush of Austin, Brian Ross Valigura of Lubbock, Amanda Kay Valigura of Lubbock, Amy McCarthy and husband Aaron of Lubbock, and Cody Ables and wife Rosa of Odessa; great grandchildren Elizabeth Merritt Roush and William Henry Roush of Huntsville, and Madison and Landon McCarthy of Lubbock; niece Carolyn Zimmerman and husband Jim of Bermuda Dunes, California; nephew Paul Zinn of Cathedral City, California; and great nephew Jasan Zimmerman and wife Jen of Palo Alto, California. She is also survived by many cousins in the area with whom she grew up and dearly loved, along with precious friends whom she adored. Honoring Mrs. Valigura as pallbearers will be Preston, Patrick, and Philip Roush, Brian Valigura, Jasan Zimmerman, Jim Zimmerman, and Warren Sunbury. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Tom Rowan, Platt Turner, Dr. John Bonnet, Dr. Warren Alexander, Dick Epperson, Jerry Gibson, Bert Pope, Jack Morris, and Charles McClure. Mother was known for her keen mind, incredible wit, and fun loving spirit. She was full of life and love for God, her family and friends. Her genuine interest in the lives of those she loved was one of her greatest gifts. The Valigura family would like to thank the nurses and staff at the Meridian Nursing Center and Odyssey Hospice for the incredible kindness, care, and love they gave our precious mother. Memorials may be made to Temple Retired Teachers, McLane Children's Hospital, First Baptist Church Temple or a charity of choice.