Nelda Marie Bachle Moffatt

She was born on the 8th of October 1925, to Hugo Bachle and Marie Therese Schlennstedt Bachle.

Nelda was born in Austin, Texas, just a few blocks from the University of Texas where her father was working on his master’s degree. That area is now covered by the LBJ Library.

From Austin, they moved to Orange, San Antonio, back to Austin and finally to Nordheim, Texas, a small German farming community in South Central Texas.

Nelda was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Nordheim. She graduated from Nordheim High School and then went to The University of Texas in Austin. She wanted to major in economics but was told that it was not for women, so she majored in Office Administration and graduated in May of 1946. She said the enrollment of The University doubled from fall semester 1945 to spring semester 1946 due to all the young men returning from WWII. Upon graduation, she got a job with American General Insurance Company and moved to Houston where she met a young Bob Moffatt, who also worked at American General.

Nelda and Bob married on the 26th of November 1947 and had three children – Richard, Roy and Ann.

Nelda was a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and spent her life serving others. She spent countless hours driving carpools, making lunches, leading Girl Scouts and serving in many other volunteer capacities. She was very involved at First Presbyterian Church of Houston, where she taught Sunday School, served as Moderator of Women of the Church, and served on the Communion Guild and Prayer Chain for decades. She and Bob supported many missions and were active in the Fellowship Class where they had many dear, lifelong friends. She and Bob enjoyed traveling with their friends. She played bridge, belonged to the Women’s Institute of Houston and the Tanglewood Garden Club. She dearly loved her grandchildren.

Nelda loved to read and study history, theology and philosophy. She worked many years on a book detailing her life’s study of God’s hand in history, which she published after she turned 90.

Nelda was proud of her German heritage and, in her nineties, wrote the family history that was passed down from her German parents and grandparents. She also documented Bob’s family history and preserved the stories of his life. She was fiercely independent and lived alone in her home until the last four months of her life. Many thanks to the caregivers at The Hallmark who tended to her in her last months.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert H. Moffatt, Jr. (Bob); her parents, her brother, Wilfred Bachle; and her sister, Mildred Bachle Stinson. She is survived by her son, Richard Moffatt and his partner, Mona Hair; son, Roy Moffatt and his husband, Juan Carlos Garcia; and daughter, Ann Marie Moffatt Davis and her husband, Ron; her grandchildren, Taylor Moffatt and his wife, Grayson; Laura Marie Davis Smith and her husband, Mark Smith; Stephen Davis, and Elizabeth Davis, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 30th of May, in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 5300 Main Street in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent Fellowship Hall.

At a later date, the family will gather for a private interment at Nordheim Cemetery in Nordheim, Texas.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to The Nehemiah Center, 5015 Fannin, Houston, TX 77004; or to the charity of one’s choice.