Nell Candler

Nell Bea Candler, 93 of Fort Sumner, NM passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2014 in a Mesquite, TX care center following an illness. Nell was born April 8, 1921 on a cotton farm near Greenville, Texas to the home of Charles Houston Candler and the former Nettie Jane Graham. She attended elementary school in Borger, TX and later attended school at Briscoe, TX where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class. In 1940 she entered North Texas State University where she received her BS Degree in Elementary Education in 1943 and her MS Degree in History in 1947. In the spring of 1943 Nell taught third, fourth, and sixth grades at Magic City, Texas. The next four years she taught first and third at Borger, TX. The next year she taught Special Education at El Paso, Texas. In 1949 she moved to Fort Sumner, NM where she taught elementary education for the next 37 years. Nell continued to attend college summer school classes in art, math, reading, and speech. In 1958 and 1959 she attended Abilene Christian University on the Coe Foundation Fellowship, these American Heritage courses enriched her curricula. Nell attended New Mexico Western University at Silver City, NM, Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM, College of the Southwest and Hobbs Junior College, Colorado University at Boulder, Colorado and Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX. She took Cultural Awareness courses at University of New Mexico. In 1954 Nell became a life member of National Education Association. She is a retired member of NEA and NEA-NM. As a member she served on the Salary Committee and the Hall of Fame Committee. As a delegate for the Southeastern NEA, she completed a forty hour leadership training at College of Santa Fe earned her a Certificate of Appreciation. Nell belonged to the American Association of Universities and the International Reading Council in Clovis. She was given a life membership in PTA and Beta Sigma Phi. Nell was a longtime active member of the Fort Sumner Church of Christ where she taught Sunday school for many years. She enjoyed her many friends at the Church of Christ, Fort Sumner Senior Citizen’s Center, and Merry Homemakers Club. Nell’s philosophy was “The nearest a teacher ever sees God is through the bright eyes of her students. The saddest a teacher ever becomes is when those eyes become cloudy”. God answered the two prayers Nell prayed the most. She wanted to teach until she could retire. Nell retired from teaching in 1993 after 40 years as a teacher, 37 of those years at Fort Sumner. Nell’s second prayer was that she would live until her mother left this earth, her mother passed away on July 9, 1995. Nell’s request was for memorials to be made in her memory to the Christian Children’s Home, 1356 NM 236, Portales, NM 88130. Nell is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Bob Candler and Bill Candler, and a nephew Ed Candler. Survivors include a sister-in-law Loy Candler of Dallas, TX, a nephew Charles Ray Candler of Southlake, TX, a niece Bobbie Lynn Candler of Los Angeles, three great nieces Jordan Candler, Erica Buyalos, Loren Buyalos, and a great nephew Bobby Buyalos. Also surviving are a many former students and faculty members, a host of friends and her Church of Christ family. Visitation hours will be Friday, September 12, 2014 from 1pm-6pm at the Chavez Funeral Home, 830 N. Fifth Street, Fort Sumner, NM. Funeral services will be held at 10am Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the Church of Christ in Fort Sumner, NM. Burial will follow in the Candler family plot at Memory Garden Cemetery in Hobbs, NM. All arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home, (575) 355-2311. To place an online tribute or sign the guest book go to www.chavezfuneralhome.com