Published: June 25, 2009 10:55 am      

Marian Nelson Meeks

Marian Nelson Meeks went to be with Our Lord on Tuesday morning, June 23, 2009 at the age of 87. She was the daughter of Exa Phillips Nelson and Hugh Aurelius Nelson of San Marcos and the sister of Hugh Aurelius Nelson, Jr. of Austin who predeceased her.

As a young girl growing up in San Marcos, Marian learned to swim along with the fish in the San Marcos River, helped tend her mother's huge flower garden and learn to feed and milk her father's dairy cows. She was Valedictorian of her class at San Marcos High School and graduated with highest honors from San Marcos Normal School (now Texas State University) with a degree in what would be called Dietary Science today. She taught Home Economics in Moulton upon graduation at age 19 then moved to Chicago where she was a resident dietician helping formulate the meals and minister to “America's Greatest Generation” of wounded soldiers during World War II.

It was her transfer to the McCloskey Hospital in Temple, working with severely injured soldiers that changed her life. It was there that she met a tall, handsome wounded soldier who shared with everyone he met his great sense of humor and charm. As the story goes, the first time Reuben Meeks laid eyes on Marian Nelson in her starched white dietetic uniform, he decided that she was who he was going to marry. Marian and Reuben's love story spanned more than 50 years as their family grew to include son Charles and his children, Madeleine and Max, daughter Sara and husband Dan DeFrain and their son, Josh, as well as son John and his wife Karen and their two daughters Mary and husband Peter Knight, and Sarah and fiancée Jared Isham.

After living in Houston for many years, family concerns brought the Meeks family back to San Marcos where for 20 years Reuben and Marian operated Culligan Water Conditioning of San Marcos. As their sons entered the business, Reuben and Marian used their free time to travel extensively throughout the United States and Europe. The move of their son, John, and his family to Indonesia in 1990 provided the couple additional travel opportunities which included enduring the 37 hour multi-stop airplane trips to visit their grandchildren in Bali and parts of Asia. When not travelling abroad, they spent time with friends travelling the full breadth of Central Texas in search of the perfect peach and sweetest watermelon. Her friends would vouch for the fact that Marian was a voracious reader, a wonderful cook, seamstress and mentor to the many young homemakers and mothers who were fortunate enough to cross her path.

Marian and Reuben were always active in the Presbyterian Church both in Houston and San Marcos and cherished the relationships they built with Our Lord as well as with their church friends as members and leaders of the church. Throughout the San Marcos Community, Marian was known for her very quick wit and compassionate nature, teaching everyone in her sphere of influence not to “sweat the small stuff.” Whenever she heard of someone in need, she responded first with a sympathetic ear, then with a chicken casserole, and finally with a caring shoulder to cry on.

A memorial service in her honor will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of San Marcos at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 27. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a contribution in Marian's name be made to First Presbyterian Church of San Marcos, 410 West Hutchison Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666 or to the Presbyterian Children's Home at 4407 Bee Cave Road, Suite 520, Austin, Texas 78746-6496.

The family would like to thank the staff at Horizon Bay in San Marcos for their loving and professional care of Mother during her time with them.

Arrangements are under the direction of Thomason Funeral Home, 396-2300.