Published: April 13, 2007 10:17 am      

Howard Leander Nunley

Howard L. Nunley passed from this life on April 10, 2007 at the Veterans’ Hospital in Kerrville.

Howard was born to Jesse David and Lizzie Nunley on Oct. 10, 1921. Howard was born in Jack County Texas and raised in North and West Texas. He left Amarillo in 1939 to enlist in the United States Army. His early Army career took him to Camp Bowie near Brownwood.

While stationed at Camp Bowie, Howard met and married Ola Mae Caffey. Howard met Ola Mae through one of her cousins; they were married on July 3, 1942. They continued to live in Brownwood for the first year of their marriage and before Howard was sent overseas in World War II. On June 27, 1943, a son, David Nunley was born in Brownwood.

Howard was sent to North Africa as his first overseas action in the war. He also was involved in the invasions in Sicily, Italy, Anzio and southern France. He was a combat medic and spent over 250 days on the front lines. Among his many medals and decorations, he was awarded the Bronze Star. This resulted from Howard’s amputating a soldier’s leg in the field and under fire. The result was saving the man’s life.

Following World War II, Howard remained in the Army. Another son, Paul, was born on July 6, 1948, in San Antonio. Howard was posted at Fort Sam Houston; Fort Bliss, Okla.; Munich, Germany; Fort Lewis, Wash. and Landstuhl, Germany. Howard retired in 1963 and moved to San Marcos. In San Marcos, Howard was the director for several men’s dormitories at Southwest Texas State University. Many of the students have remained in touch with Howard over the years. Howard retired from the university in 1981.

Ola Mae and Howard returned to Brownwood, Texas in 1981 and remained there until 2000 when they moved to a retirement community in San Antonio. In Brownwood they were active in the First Christian Church. Howard researched his family back through the years in Texas and their trek from England to Tennessee.

Howard was preceded in death by his beloved wife Ola Mae of over 62 years. He is survived by a son David Nunley; a son Paul Nunley and his wife Betty; a granddaughter Katherine L. McGuyre and her husband Glenn McGuyre; a grandson Nathan L. Nunley; and two great-grandsons Jonathan and James McGuyre, all of San Antonio; a sister Shirley Lee King and her husband Lester Paul King of Jacksboro; a sister Maurine Glover of Pampa; and numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association or a charity supporting the preservation of historical sites.

Services will be at Central Christian Church, 720 N. Main Ave., San Antonio on Saturday, April 14 at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Monday, April 16 at 11 a.m. Trevino Funeral Home, 2015 W. Martin St., San Antonio, 78207, (210) 227-6281.