Nila Lou Nelms

Edcouch- Nila Lou Nelms, 84, passed away on Thursday, January 18th, 2018. She was born in San Benito, Texas to Ralph and Lou Reva Moore. Nila was raised in San Benito with her three older brothers, Ernest, Leslie, and Vernon. Nila later married Tom Nelms and they would move to La Villa where they would enjoy over forty years of marriage. They raised three girls together and Nila was very involved with their church, the First Baptist Church of Edcouch. Nila had many hobbies. She enjoyed sewing and crafts. She was also an avid bird watcher and had collections of cardinals all over the house. She always had bird feeders around the house and seemed to have at least two cardinals that lived with her all the time. She also loved to cook and was famous for her fried chicken, potato salad, and jalapeno cornbread. She loved having the entire family over for meals, including her grandchildren, who she gladly helped raise. By far, Nila was most passionate about her church., the First Baptist Church of Edcouch. She taught Sunday School, took care of the nursery, helped clean the church, but mostly cared for the congregation. She was very caring and after caring for her mom and husband during their elderly years, she freely and lovingly cared for the elders of her church. She cooked meals for them and treated them like family. After Tom's passing in 1995, Nila lived with her daughter, Doris, and family and helped raise grandchildren while Doris was working. She was very close to all of her grandchildren and she cared for them very much. She was their caregiver, cook, advisor, and friend and will be remembered by all. Nila is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Moore and Lou Reva Goode Moore, her loving husband, Tom, her daughter, Virginia McDonough, and her brothers, Ernest, Leslie, and Vernon. She is survived by her daughter, Rhonda S Balli (Ricardo Sr.) of Donna and Doris Dudley (Mark) of Edcouch, grandchildren, Reva M. Guerra (Gabriel), Ricardo Balli Jr. (Erica), Brittany L. Dudley, Chis R. Dudley, Tyler Dudley, Walker Dudley, and Ginger Dudley, great-grandchildren, Trey Balli, Maddy Balli, Celeste Guerra, Megan Guerra, and numerous nephews and nieces.