Doris Farley Nelms

Doris Farley Nelms was born on September 16, 1931 in Roby, Texas, and died in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, August 21, 2022.   Doris was the daughter of William James Farley (“Jim”) and Ruby Storie.  Jim was a cotton farmer in Roby, Texas.  Doris had nine brothers and sisters who grew up in Roby:  Ray T. Farley, “Dub” Farley, Christine Farley Pullig, Maxine Farley Barfield,  Geraldine Farley Voss, Quinton Farley, Wayne Farley, Dorothy Farley Stroman, and Barbara Farley Grounds.  All of these folks have passed on except for Doris’ sisters, Dorothy Stroman and Barbara Grounds, who loved and helped her to the very end.

The Farleys were a very close-knit family.  Ruby, Doris’ mother, died when Doris was only nine years old.  It was hard on the Farley kids losing their mother at a young age, but their dad, Jim, insisted on raising the kids and raising them well.  The brothers and sisters pitched in to help raise their younger siblings.  The Farley brothers and sisters remained close as adults, and most Nelms family vacations were spent visiting a Farley brother or sister and their family.

Doris married Dewey Franklin Nelms in 1950. Doris and Dewey had three children:  Patti Elaine Nelms Bedford, Russell Farley Nelms and Fielder Franklin Nelms.  Patti, Miss New Mexico 1973, passed away in 2012, leaving three children:  Beau Bedford, Rachel Bedford Maynard (her husband is Ryan Maynard), and Alexis Bedford Prochnow (her husband is Steve Prochnow).  The Bedford children loved Doris and were a special part of her life.  Doris’ second child, Russell Nelms, served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge in Fort Worth and practices law in Ft. Worth. Russell is married to Donatella Trotti.  Russell has two children:  Hunter Nelms and Hillary Nelms.  Doris’ third child, Fielder Nelms, is married to Carolyn Wertheimer Nelms and practices law in Dallas.  Fielder and Carolyn have three children:  Kelly Nelms Curtis (married to Evan Curtis), Ashley Nelms Davis (married to Brett Davis), and Jack Fielder Nelms.

Doris had nine greatgrandkids:  Boston Bedford, Cosette (“Coco”) Maynard, Pierce Maynard, Darcy Maynard, Maximus Prochnow, Elizabeth (“Birdie Bell”) Prochnow, Grayson Curtis, Connor Curtis, and James Davis.  Finally, Doris is survived by many loving Farley nephews and nieces.

Doris loved and was proud of her kids.  Doris would say her greatest accomplishment was her kids.  Her activities included PTA president, president of Sweetwater garden club, and chairman of the Republican party of Lincoln County, New Mexico.  Doris had a great sense of humor, was a great cook, and loved to have people over for dinner.  The Nelms kids and their friends ate well at Doris’ table.  Dinners at the Nelms’ house were filled with friends and laughter.

Doris lived in Roby, Texas, Sweetwater, Texas, Roswell, New Mexico, and Ruidoso, New Mexico. She moved to Fort Worth in November 2021.  She suffered a stroke in February 2022 and has struggled the last six months in various hospitals and nursing homes in Ft. Worth and Dallas.

Doris was a Christian woman of faith, who loved her kids and grandkids.  Our lives have been diminished by her death. She loved well and was well-loved.

Pallbearers will be family members.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, September 3, 2022 at First Presbyterian Church in Sweetwater, Texas with Pastor Kathy Monroe officiating, followed by a burial ceremony at Sylvester Cemetery in Sylvester, Texas (a suburb of Roby).  Arrangements are under the direction of Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home, Sweetwater, Texas.

If you wish to make a donation in memory of  Doris, you may contribute to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 956, Sweetwater, Texas 79556 or to Rescue the Animals, 4620 North 1st Street, Abilene, Texas 79603.