BARBARA ANN NELSON, 70, of Paris, passed from this life peacefully on Sunday December 12, 2010 at her residence, following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday December 15, 2010 in the chapel of Starrett Funeral Home with Rev. Ken Cannon officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Ann was born July 14, 1940 in Borger, the daughter of Gordon and Flora Marr Herrscher. She graduated from Odessa High School and received her Bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She married James Martin (Jim) Nelson on July 29, 1966 in Houston. She and Jim shared a wonderful 44 years of marriage filled with love and friendship.

She taught English in the Houston Independent School District, retiring after twenty-eight years of service. Ann enjoyed gardening, reading, exercising and cooking for her family and friends. She was a thoughtful, selfless person who took great fulfillment in serving others. She loved her grandchildren with all her heart and showered them with love and affection.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and by a brother, George Herrscher.

Survivors include her husband Jim; two daughters, Laurie Nelson, of Paris and Mary Hall and husband Rick, of Frisco; two loving grandchildren, Gannon Hall and Jensin Hall; several nieces and nephews; and a host of cousins and friends.

Serving as pallbearers will be Jerry Dudley, Rick Hall, John Scharfe, Allan Weatherford, Doug Weiberg and Gerald Whiteside.