Marilyn Nunley

Marilyn Glenn Gardner Nunley was born July 6, 1932 to Glenn and Anna Gardner in San Bernardino, California. When she started school, her family moved to Woodsboro, Texas to be close to her maternal grandparents. In Woodsboro she skipped from second to fourth grade as the school changed from 11 to 12 grades. Soon her family moved to Uvalde, Texas and she attended third grade because Uvalde had not changed to 12 grades. The next year she went to fifth grade. Marilyn graduated Uvalde High School in 1949 and attended South West Texas Junior College in Uvalde where she met the love of her life, Billy Ray Nunley of Sabinal.
Marilyn and Bill went on their first date on December 22, 1949. They married on June 22, 1952. Every month they said "Happy 22." When they married, Bill was in the Air Force and Marilyn was finishing up a summer semester to graduate from the University of Texas in Austin, where she obtained her Bachelors in Fine Arts.
In 1955, just before Bill finished his four years in the Air Force, Marilyn and Bill lost their first child, Glenn Charles, at birth. After Bill's military service, they moved in with Bill's mother in Sabinal, Texas. Marilyn was very close to Bill's mother and considered her "the best Mother-in-Law in the world." Happily, Marilyn and Bill eventually became the parents of Kevin, Lisa and Rebecca. Bill and Marilyn moved up on "The Hill" on the south side of Sabinal in June of 1961, and Marilyn lived there until she moved to Devine Health & Rehabilitation Center in April 2015 to be close to Lisa.
Before having children, Marilyn began teaching at Sabinal Jr. High and High School and later continued after the youngest child, Rebecca, went to school. Marilyn taught Texas History and English including Spelling, Literature, and Composition. But her passion was teaching Speech and Drama. Marilyn directed many plays and she was considered a superb director. In 1974, Marilyn directed "The No Count Boy," which won State UIL in Division A, and her son, Kevin, who played the part of the No Count Boy, won the award for Best Actor and the Samuel French Award, the highest honor awarded. Marilyn fondly remembered her class room and drama students.
After retiring from teaching Marilyn kept very busy. She returned to the University of Texas at Austin to study Drama and graduated with a Masters in Fine Arts. She then directed plays at the Grand Opera House in Uvalde. She taught children's theater there and even in her back yard.
Marilyn took a wood working class at SWTJC to build a rack to hang rolls of fabric and she then built Bill a gun cabinet that looked like an armoire. She continued her woodworking and built a matching chest of drawers. She also built shelves with cabinets to go above and around and match her custom TV stand; a long buffet for her kitchen that matched the cabinets; a coffee table with drawers and matching end tables with cabinets. All of these were fine-furniture grade with beautiful stained wood. She also made painted furniture including a rolling, drop-leaf sewing cutting table and a drop-leaf island table for her church's kitchen.
Marilyn took pottery classes at SWTJC and made lots of usable, beautiful pottery. She had her own pottery wheel. However, Marilyn's longest hobby was sewing. She taught herself to sew when she was a little girl. She would use her mother's sewing machine when she found the needle up, before she knew how to make the needle go up. Marilyn could sew any dress or outfit and make it look better than any ready-made dress, including her own wedding dress. Marilyn taught Lisa and Rebecca to sew very young. Lisa got a straight-stitch sewing machine for her 6th birthday, which got traded in for a better one for Rebecca's 9th birthday. Both daughters made their own wedding dresses. Except for very few items, Marilyn made all her clothes. Marilyn was also an avid knitter and crocheter. She knitted sweaters for herself and her family. One of her largest projects was a king-size bedspread made with crochet thread. Later in life she crocheted beautiful doilies and knitted afghans. In 1969, Marilyn spent nine months making a large wall hanging featuring appliqués of many kinds of Texas wild flowers. After the kids were grown she started quilting. She was a member of the Uvalde Piecemakers Quilt Guild and the Sabinal Quilt Club. She made some bed quilts and many wall hanging quilts. Like everything else she did, the quilts were expertly crafted. Marilyn had a long-arm quilt machine and quilted what other quilters had pieced.
Marilyn was a volunteer at the Sabinal Library, a long-time member of the Sabinal Civic Club, and she and Bill were members of the Sabinal Supper Club.
Marilyn was a member of First United Methodist Church of Sabinal for 61 years. She was a member of Sabinal Methodist Ladies, Prayer Group, and Bible Studies. She and her daughters were among the ladies who made the Chrismons for the sanctuary Christmas tree. She was on church committees and served as the Financial Secretary for many years.
In April of 2015, Marilyn moved to the Devine Health & Rehab center, near her daughter Lisa. She was very happy that Lisa could visit her daily. She spent her time reading and playing Rummy with Lisa. She delighted in attending the Devine Methodist Church every Sunday, but retained her membership in Sabinal.
On June 1st, 2016, Marilyn was taken to Methodist Hospital in San Antonio with Bronchitis. Soon it seemed that God was calling her home. On June, 14th, she entered Christus Sister Mary Hospice Center. On June 19, 2016, Father's Day, she went home to be with her Father God.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents Glenn Alfred Gardner and Anna Grace Wranosky Gardner, husband Billy Ray (Bill R.) Nunley, infant son Glenn Charles Nunley, and sister Patricia Harvey. Marilyn is survived by three children and their spouses: son Kevin and wife Kathie Nunley; daughter Lisa and husband Edwin Garner; daughter Rebecca and husband James Madl; nine grandchildren: Keegan Nunley, Kahlia Nunley Meyer and husband Craig, Keller Nunley, Kole Nunley, Hoyt N. Garner, Monty Garner and wife Kristen, Ory Garner, Ryan Madl, and Jason Madl; one brother-in-law, A.J. Harvey; and four generations of nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 24, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary in Sabinal. Funeral services will be held at Sabinal First United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 10:00am, then interment at the Sabinal Cemetery, followed by a reception in the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall for all family and friends.
DUE TO SEVERE FAMILY ALLERGIES, the family requests that there are NO FLOWERS and no perfume, cologne, hand or body lotion, hairspray, etc. or anything that has any scent. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the GAP (God Answers Prayers) Ministry. Make the check payable to First UMC Sabinal and specify GAP Ministry or Memorial Marilyn Nunley.

Visitation

RushingEstesKnowles Mortuary
410 W. Cullins
Sabinal, TX  78881
Friday, June 24, 2016
9:00 a.m.

Service

First United Methodist Church
200 W. Fisher Ave.
Sabinal, TX  78881
Saturday, June 25, 2016
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Sabinal Cemetery
Hwy 90 East
Sabinal, TX  78881