Frank Constant Nelms

Frank Constant Nelms passed away peacefully at his home on February 7, 2017. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on February 22, 1930. He moved to Houston with his mother Susie Constant Nelms and his father H.G. "Chad” Nelms at the age of three and has made Houston his home ever since. He attended River Oaks Elementary, The Kinkaid School, Greenfield’s Preparatory School (Tuscon, Arizona), and Lamar High School. He attended The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. While at Sewanee, he met Suzanne Rodgers from Nashville, Tennessee, and after dating for several years, they were married on October 7, 1950. He always said the best thing he did in college was to marry Suzanne. After college, he worked with his father as an independent oil operator. He drilled many wells in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and North Dakota. He was instrumental in forming the following companies: Subsurface Disposal Corp., Midsouth Manufacturing and Marine Minerals.

Affectionately known as “Pappa,” Frank will be remembered most for his contagious personality, his love of his family, and his devotion to his friends. Few things thrilled him more than going quail hunting and fishing with his wife, Suzanne, and their numerous friends. Another of his favorite pastimes was flying. He received his pilot license when he was seventeen and enjoyed flying over the Southern United States and Mexico. He finally stopped flying in 1978 when he said he had flown 3,000 hours and had never bent a plane or hurt anyone so it was time to quit. Frank also loved boats, and cherished his memories driving his Sports Fisherman from New York to Florida to the Bahamas and back to Houston. He was a member of several clubs: River Oaks Country Club, Bayou Club, Allegro, Houston Downtown Athletic Club, Coronado Club, La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, The Mansfield Club, and the Alto Lakes Golf and Country Club. He was a lifetime committeeman of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where he and Suzanne served on the Quarter Horse Committee together. He also was a charter member of the Tejas Vaqueros and treasured his time on the trail rides.

He was preceded in death by his parents; Sue and Chad Nelms, and his son, Frank Chadwick Nelms. He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Suzanne, and their daughter, Nina Lyons and her husband, Jack; and their three grandchildren: Chad Lyons, and his wife, Katie; Allen Lyons, and his wife, Carol Lee; and Sara Lyons Patten, and her husband, Reid. Frank and Suzanne are blessed with four great grandchildren: Annie, Berklee, Chadwick and Cameron Lyons.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until seven o'clock in the evening on Thursday, the 9th of February, at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at one o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 10th of February, at the Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent Sumners Hall. Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Dr. Emily Barker, Dr. Colin Barker and Maddie Bunch, R.N., for their devoted and loving care of Frank. Serving as honorary pallbearers are all his friends.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd. Houston, Texas 77030; the Frank Chadwick Nelms Scholarship Fund at the University of the South 735 University Avenue, Sewanee, TN 37383; or the charity of your choice.