Nell (Dodds) Sackett

Nell Dodds Sackett died October 31, 2018 at the Mesa Springs Rehabilitation Center in Abilene, Texas.  She was born near Talpa on November 22, 1922 to Arthur and Eula Dodds.

Graveside services will be held Monday, November 5 at 12:00  in the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery near Killeen, Texas.  Officiating will be Nell's nephew , Gary Becker.  Services are under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home, Coleman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Sidney Sackett, brother Rex Dodds, sister Irene Baillie, nephews Roger Crowell and  Gerald Conn, and nieces Yvonne Becker and Glenna Fohn.

During the early part of World War II, Nell worked as a riveter at Consolidated Aircraft Factory in Ft. Worth.  It was during this time that she took training to pilot an airplane.  After she obtained her license, she took many family members up for a ride, including her dad and several of her siblings.  She continued her fascination with airplanes for the rest of her life, going out to look up at the sky whenever she heard a plane passing over.

Nell attended college in San Marcos at what was then Southwest Texas State Teachers College, majoring in meteorology.  Later she moved to Waco to work at Montgomery Ward as personnel/payroll supervisor.  After she and Sid retired, they moved to Abilene.

Nell had an avid interest in nature, especially birds and wildflowers.  She fed the birds and put up nesting boxes for cavity nesters at Camp Colorado, the country home of the Sacketts.  Through the years, family gatherings at Camp Colorado were immensely enjoyed by all of us.

Another major interest for Nell was music, both live and on CDs or tapes of which she had a large collection.  She especially liked gospel and country songs; seldom a day passed that she was not listening to music, dancing around the room to the rhythm of the songs.

Sid and Nell had no children of their own, but considered their nieces and nephews to be their children.  Needless to say, these nieces and nephews, in turn, adored their aunt and uncle.

Nell is survived by two sisters, Loice Kendrick of Hayneville, Louisiana and Tommye Becker (Alton "Buster"); nieces, Kathy Gilland, Peggy Kendrick Stemmans (Michael), and Dianne Conn;    nephews, Gary Becker (Priscella), Larry Crowell (Pat), Donald Rex Dodds (Judith), Ronald Kendrick (Eileen), Terry Kendrick (Tina) and Don Kendrick (Cathy), and numerous grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Gary Becker, Ronald Kendrick, Don Kendrick, Michael Stemmans, Stephanie Quinn and Carrie Stryker.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mt. View Cemetery Association, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the charity of your choice.

Please leave condolences and memories for the family at www.livingmemorials.com.