Obituary of Nelwyn Stuart Thompson

Funeral services for Nelwyn Stuart Thompson will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Cottle Funeral Home in Troup with Reverend Josh Blizzard officiating. Interment will be at Union Grove Cemetery in Troup immediately following the service. The family will receive friends and loved ones at the Cottle Funeral Home Chapel, Troup, Saturday morning from 9:30 am until the service begins. Nel, affectionately known as Gigi, was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy Dewayne Thompson and her parents Chilton and Ruby Stuart. She was born in Troup on November 8, 1934 and spent her childhood throughout East Texas. After school, Nel moved to Houston where she met Jimmy and they were married on January 11, 1957. She was a homemaker with occasional jobs outside the home, but eventually worked alongside Jimmy at the office as he and his business partner grew a successful chain of floor covering stores across Houston. They enjoyed traveling, entertaining and spending time at their lake house in West Columbia. They lived their entire married life in Houston until Jimmy's death in 2000. Nel relocated to Tyler in 2005 and thoroughly enjoyed her community and friends. She had a special friendship and many fun adventures with her neighbor and aunt, Azalea Thompson prior to Auntie's death. Gigi was devoted to her family and a great cook collecting hundreds of cookbooks over the years. She had a playful nature, a quick smile and a bit of the Stuart family stubbornness that gave her strength. She will be greatly missed. Ms. Thompson is survived by her daughter, Tammy and husband Dr. John B. Hillin of Henderson; granddaughter, Tiffany Simpson and husband Jacob Sciba; great-grandson, Ari Benjamin Sciba, all of Austin; brothers and sisters-in-law, Damon and Louise Stuart of Tyler, Chilton and Judy Stuart, Jr. of Carthage and Jerry and Debbie Stuart of Henderson; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army, 633 N. Broadway Ave., Tyler, TX 75702. Online registration and condolences are available at www.cottlefuneralhome.com.