Jimmie Nelson

Jimmie L. Nelson, 97, died May 14, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. A lifelong Southern Baptist minister and seminary professor, he was beloved by his congregations and his students.

Nelson was born on Feb. 11, 1928, in the Grand Hotel in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Izetta Mansfield of Marysville, Texas and George Alfred Boone of Vera, Texas. Shortly after his birth, he was given to the Children's Aid Society, an orphanage. Within days Wallis Nelson and Nettie Strait Nelson of Burkburnett, Texas adopted him. He was named after Nettie's brother, Jimmie Strait. His adopted mother died in 1931 and Nelson was given to the care of Nettie's parents, Lewis and Cora Strait. In 1933, Wallis Nelson and his new wife, Lottie Bookout Nelson, came for Jimmie and took him to Olney, Texas, then moved to Borger, Texas. In 1933, after giving birth to a daughter, Patricia June Nelson, Nelson's stepmother Lottie died. His father remarried his next stepmother, Patricia Phillips and the family lived in oilfield camps in Pampa and Borger before moving to a permanent address in Borger. A few years later Wallis and Patricia adopted twin girls, Janette Shannon and Janeane Sharon.

Nelson graduated from Borger High in 1945 and Baylor University in 1949. As a high school senior, he was called to be a pastor. During college, he met Dolores Lee Cate, also from Borger, one weekend when he was visiting back home. They married June 25, 1950. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a master's degree in 1952 and received his doctorate from the seminary in 1961. In the early 1960s, Nelson found his biological mother, Izetta, and learned of his other siblings, R.C. Smith and Edna Herrington.

Nelson had already begun his career as a Baptist pastor while in college, pastoring at Lovelace Baptist Church in Hillsboro, TX. He subsequently served as pastor at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Colonial Hill Baptist Church in Snyder where he was the founding pastor, and First Baptist Church in Deer Park. Nelson served as pastor of churches across Texas for 25 years before he was named a faculty member at Southwestern Seminary in 1972. He began as the director of field education for the School of Theology, became associate dean for the Doctor of Ministry program, and then was named professor of preaching. During his time at Southwestern, he continued to work in Texas and European churches as interim pastor. He participated in crusades, revivals, and conferences in Japan, Brazil, the West Indies, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Romania, Russia and the Ivory Coast. He also served as an adjunct professor for several semesters at the Canadian Baptist Seminary.

Nelson lived in Burleson, Texas for 50 years (1972-2023) where he was an active member of First Baptist Church Burleson and served as interim pastor twice for the church. He loved not only preaching but leading Bible studies. He led a men's Bible study at the Petroleum Club in Fort Worth for many years. He also loved his dear seminary friends who were part of a 42 club who met regularly to play dominoes and enjoy each other's company. In his last years in Burleson, he became a part of a Breakfast Club that met every Monday morning in a local café. In 2022, he moved into a senior living community in Lubbock, Texas where his daughter Julie and her family live. In Lubbock, he continued to be active with the local pastors group as well as FBC Lubbock. When he was 91 years old, he rode the zipline at Palo Duro Canyon, just so he could keep pace with his friend, Bernie Wilson, originally of Snyder, TX.

Nelson was preceded in death by Dolores, his wife of 53 years, and all his siblings. He is survived by two sons, Stephen Nelson and his wife Robin of Paonia, Colorado and J. Alan Nelson and his wife (Susan) of Waco, Texas; his daughter Julie Nelson Couch and her husband Robert of Lubbock, Texas. He was known as Papa to his five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren: Reina Nelson of Paonia, Colorado, Nicholas Nelson of Dallas; Julia Nelson Cullens, her spouse Roger Cullens of Waco, Texas and her children, Tessa, Liam, and Cristian Cullens, of Waco; Collin Couch and partner Bel Banta of Brooklyn, NY; and Henry Couch and fiancée Jacy Mace of San Antonio, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a charitable donation made in Jimmie Nelson's name to The Carillon Foundation or Habitat for Humanity.

The funeral service will be held Monday, June 2, at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Burleson, Texas. Visitation will be held Sunday, June 1, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Mountain Valley Funeral Home in Joshua, Texas.