Obituaries

Dr. Thomas Wheeler Nuckols, 87, of Sherman, Texas, passed away on February 21, 2021. A family service will be held on March 6, 2021, at Tye Cemetery in Burleson, Texas, with interment to follow. Arrangements are by Dannel Funeral home.

Tom Nuckols was born in Louise, Texas, to Reno Jerrell Nuckols and Floy Estus Brazell on September 21, 1933. He was a graduate of Burleson High School, where was an award-winning cattle judge with the Future Farmers of America. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, which he attended on a Navy R.O.T.C. scholarship and became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society. While in the Navy, he both served as a legal officer, chaplain, and became a naval aviator with the renowned Hurricane Hunters that flew planes into hurricanes to collect weather data. He received a master’s degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and was ordained as a minister by the Southern Baptist Convention. He received a doctor of philosophy degree from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where he received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.

He married Patsy Ruth Mealor on July 3, 1957 in Hutchison, Kansas. He was a professor of religion, Christian and medical ethics, western civilization, and political science at Austin College from 1965 to 1999. He was deeply involved in the Sherman Rotarians, Goals for Sherman, Community and Economic Development Foundation, Grayson County Mental Health/Mental Retardation, and Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church.

He is preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by daughter Ruth Elizabeth Nuckols Cox Williamson and partner Ed Williamson of Sherman, son Thomas Mealor Nuckols and partner Sherine Thomas of Austin, brother Gerald Allen Nuckols of San Antonio, sister Linda Oakley of Burleson, granddaughters Elizabeth O’Byrne Cox and partner Jacqui Klassen of Sherman and Eleanor Kathryn Cox Wheaton and partner Jason Wheaton of Sherman, grandson Deven Thomas Nuckols of Austin, and great grandchildren Tyler Sellers, Brooklyn Wheaton, Juliet Wheaton, Christopher Wheaton and Azura Wheaton of Sherman.

Memorials may be given to Austin College.The family of Thomas W. Nuckols wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Lander Bethel, Dr. Easwar Sundaram, Dr. Bharathy Sundaram, the staff of Changing Seasons, Jan, Tammie, Tonya, Brooke, and Shelley, the staff of Pecan Point and Celebrations Assisted Living, TMC, as well as Focused Care of Sherman.