Marlene Etter Nelson

Marlene Etter Nelson, age 79, passed away on Sunday, December 2, 2018 in Gainesville, Texas.

Marlene was born in Wichita Falls, Texas on September 4, 1939 to Cecil S. Etter and Violet Mae Smith Etter.  She was a long time Gainesville resident and teacher.  She graduated from Gainesville High in 1957, had four children, then went to college to further her education.  She attended Texas Woman’s University and completed her degree in Elementary Education.  She taught speech therapy at Rad Ware for two years, then 5th grade at Edison Elementary School for 23 years and retired in 1997.  When school was out for summers, you could always find Marlene taking on a fun part-time job to make a little extra cash and to learn a new hobby.  She loved to paint, travel, search for antiques, and dig up fossils and arrowheads.  She was game for just about any new adventure and learning experience that she could bring to the classroom for her students.

Marlene had an unshakeable faith in God and a strong passion for family.  Family, friends and former students have all benefited and been blessed in so many ways as a result of her great outpouring of love and care for so many years.  She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  We will miss her greatly.

She was preceded in death by her husbands: James Nelson, Jerrel Wilson, and ex-husband Harold Cook.  She was also preceded in death by her brother Steven and parents Cecil and Violet Etter.

Survivors include: son Greg Cook and wife Debbie; son Alan Cook and wife Tracy; daughter Susan Hermes and husband Doug; and daughter Diane Palya and husband Bill.  She has eight grandchildren: Chris, Gregory, and Angelina Cook; Jennifer Cook; Darrell and Savannah Hermes; Jana Traymany and Ashlie Anderson.  She has 11 great-grandchildren: Emily, Violet, Bastain, Eli, Ayden, Ashton, Allye, Anna, Jameson, Azlynn and Everly.

There will be a private family service to be determined later, but cards of condolences may be sent to Marlene Nelson, 2003 Everglade, Gainesville, TX  76240.  Otherwise, charitable gifts can be made in her name to one of her favorite charities: Feed the Children; St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; or Noah’s Ark.