The Merkel Mail, Merkel, Texas, 7 June 1940
Vol 51, No 12, pgs 1, 2
Mrs. NANCY L. MEEKS, age 97 years, 5 months, 4 days, familiarly called Grandma Meeks by everyone who knew her as well as by her loved ones, died at 5:20 Friday morning (May 31) at the home of a son-in-law, E. Barnes, in the Blair community.
She was probably the oldest person residing in this section at the time of her death.
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon (June 1) from the Trent Baptist Church, with Rev. Charles Williams, Baptist pastor of Buffalo Gap, officiating. Burial followed in Trent Cemetery, by the side of her husband who died June 9, 1911.
Barrow-Sheppard Funeral Home was in charge.
Six grandsons, Marlin Hester, Allen Hester, Fred Barnes, Ernest Meeks, Raymond Meeks and Claudie Meeks, served as pallbearers. The flower girls were granddaughters: Mesdames Ruby Wallace, Olle Isbell, Knox Beall, Pearl Irwin and Florence Stone, and Miss Lela Meeks.
Nancy Laurendy Pierce was born in Tennessee on Dec. 27, 1842, daughter of Hickson and Betty Pierce. She was married to L.R. Meeks in Feburary 1860, in Arkansas. They moved to Texas in 1891 and to Taylor County 36 years ago.
She was the mother of 14 children, of whom four daughters and six sons survive. The daughters are: Mrs. Tom Head of Post, Mrs. E. Barnes of Merkel, Mrs. Claude Walker of Oklahoma and Mrs. John Hester of Knox City. The sons are: Ransom Meeks of Tahoka, Will Meeks of Hamlin, Robert Meeks of Merkel, George Meeks of Hamlin, Alfred Meeks of Post and John Meeks of Merkel. Sixty-eight grandchildren, a number of great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren survive; also one brother, Alfred Pierce of Oklahoma.
Mrs. Meeks became a member of the Baptist church at the age of 16 and had lived a true and devoted Christian life.
Out-of-town relatives attending the funeral services were: Mr. and Mrs. Tom Head of Post, Mr. and Mrs. Ransom Meeks of Tahoka, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Meeks of Merkel, George Meeks of Hamlin, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Meeks of Post, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Walker of Carnegie, Oklahoma, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Brewer of Odessa, Mr. and Mrs. Knox Beall of Abilene, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Meeks of Butman, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Lackey of Tahoka, Mr. and Mrs. John Hester of Knox City, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace of Abilene, Mr. and Mrs. Isbell of Knox City, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stone of Tahoka, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Irvin of Merkel, Mr. and Mrs. Will Meeks of Hamlin Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Hester, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Hester of Knox Ciry, Mr. and Mrs. Claudie Meeks of Levelland, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilson of Post, Delma Ray Meeks of Post, Mr. and Mrs. Grady Meeks, Mr. and Mrs. John Meeks of Tahoka, Mr. and Mrs. Tommie Patterson of Merkel.