Nelda Florentine Williams

Nelda Florentine “Caraway” Williams, 89, of Silsbee, Texas, passed away on July 30, 2023. A visitation will be held on August 4, 2023 from 1-3 p.m. with funeral service to follow at Callaway-Jones Funeral Center in Bryan, Texas. Nelda’s son, Ron Bell, will be officiating the funeral service.

Nelda was born on December 2, 1933 to parents Guy and Florella Caraway in Hamilton, Texas. Upon growing up and graduating high school, Nelda attended University of Texas at Arlington where she completed her undergraduate. She then went on to attend Law School at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to law school, Nelda already had a 25 year career as a draftsman, where she produced maps and cross-sections of oil wells for a couple of large petroleum companies. She excelled in male dominated fields because she liked to draw and design structures, and it provided a solid living for her and her 5 children.

She later worked as the sole appellate attorney at the District Attorney’s Office in Abilene, Texas, where she was able to combine her love for criminal law, research, and writing. Nelda retired at age 62, only to go back to work again as an appellate attorney for the State Council for Offenders in Huntsville, Texas. At the age of 81, Nelda officially retired and went on to pursue her many interests outside of work that she found very fulfilling.

Nelda was a member of the Church of Christ and enjoyed many hobbies such as reading, quilting, painting, and she loved to travel. Las Vegas was among one of her favorite places to travel.

Nelda is preceded in death by her parents, Guy and Florella Caraway, brothers Chandler, Gordon, Gilbert, and Wayne. Her sister, Wandene, and sons Bill and Loren. She is survived by her son Ron Bell, daughters Lorraine Rosales, Michelle Preston, daughters-in-law Linda Bell, Shirley Bell, Ana Deter, and son-in-law Donald Davis. Grandchildren Micah, Carrie, Emily, Shannon, Jennifer, Heather, Shawn, James, Brenton, Jordan, Chance, Katie, and Cash. Great-grandchildren Zak, Hannah, Kade, Blake, Kaleb, Logan, Korbin, Jameson, Jai, Jasper, Juliana, Brendan, Liam, Lindsay, Jason, Sawyer, Oliver, Makayla, and River. Also one great-great-grandchild, Sutten.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Brazos Valley.