Marie Ann Schneider Nelson

Marie Ann Schneider Nelson, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, age 84, entered into eternal rest on May 17, 2010. Marie was born on September 15, 1926 in Coffeyville, Kansas and moved to the Houston, Texas area as an infant. She was the daughter of Mary Tennessee Schneider and Arkel Clyde Schneider, a disabled veteran of World War I. She had three brothers and two sisters. She met her husband Richard John "Muggsy" Nelson, Jr. at age twelve when he threw an apple core at her and knocked her off her bicycle - it was love at first sight! They dated all through school and married on Christmas Eve in 1944 when he came home on leave from the Navy. After his discharge from the Navy, they traveled the South while Mr. Nelson played semi-pro baseball and attended college at Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, Texas. Marie lived most of her adult life in Corpus Christi, Texas with her husband and their two children, Pam and R. J. "Tray" Nelson III. She went back to college at age 40 and graduated with honors. She worked for Central Power & Light, the Corpus Christi utility company, retiring in 1993. She was an accomplished seamstress, making most of her daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter's special occasion clothes through the years. She also made custom shirts for her husband and son. Marie loved to deer hunt and was the best shot in the family. She was on several bowling leagues scoring near perfect scores several times. Marie also loved to cook, fish, swim and play softball. She was always the star player at the annual Nelson Family Reunion softball games. She trained her beloved standard poodles, Buffy and Weebee, to agility and obedience titles. Whatever she decided to do, she did it with gusto and determination. Upon Mr. Nelson's retirement in 1998, they moved to Aiken to be near their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. While in Aiken, Marie enjoyed crocheting, walking her toy poodle, Stubby, reading her bible and playing board games with the family. Marie was known for her kind and loving nature backed by a steel will and strong opinions on occasion. Marie and her husband attended Cedar Creek Church and Town Creek Baptist Church. Marie was preceded in death by her brothers, A. C. Schneider, Fred Schneider and Edward Schneider, his wife, Muffett Blomquist Schneider and their son, Michael Schneider and her sisters, Grace Schneider Jennings and Christine Schneider Roffall. Marie is survived by her husband of 67 years, Richard J. "Muggsy" Nelson, Jr., daughter Pam Thompson, her husband Mark Thompson and their daughter, Michelle Thompson Klarman, her husband Steve and their children, Jacob Mark and Stephanie Klarman; son, Richard J. "Tray" Nelson III, his wife, Lisa, their daughter, Amber Nelson of Aiken,his sons- Charles Moore of Martinez, GA., Jesse Moore- PFC-U.S. Army serving in Iraq & his mother in law-Jewell Bridges; her brother in law, William Earl Nelson, his wife, Margie and their son, William Nelson; nieces Denise Roffall and Jana Willis and their families; Jack Edward Nelson, Jr. and Kandy Marie Nelson and their families; nephews Allen and Bobby Clegg and their families, of Texas. Services will be at Shellhouse - Rivers Funeral Home on East Pine Log Road, Thursday, May 20th at 4pm, with family visitation after the service. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Regency Hospice, 105 Summerwood Way, Aiken, SC 29803, whose staff so loving and professionally cared for her in her last days. We would also like to thank Dr. Mel Haas for his years of care and personal attention and Dr. Leopold Muniz for making the last three years of Mom's life the best possible. Marie Nelson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother will be greatly missed forever. Please visit the online guest register at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com. SHELLHOUSE - RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Marie Ann Schneider Nelson, please visit our flower store.