Nanie Bell Ham, age 101, of Deport died on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at her home.  Funeral Date and Times are Pending with Wood Funeral Homes, Deport.

Nanie Bell was born June 20, 1912, in Red River County to Charlie Pruden and Johnnie Elizabeth Street Tuck.  She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Ernest Flim Ham, infant daughter, Mary Lou Ham, infant grandson and great-grandson, brothers, Delma Tuck, Herbert Tuck, Leon Tuck, an infant brother and a sister, Alma Tuck Gray.  Surviving are sisters, Martha Smith of Cedar Hill and Geraldine Blasingame of Duncanville.  Sister-in-law, Ellen Tuck of Bogata.  Children, Charles Ham and wife Sarah of Palestine; Nell Shull of Paris; Robert “Bob” Ham and wife Faye of Yukon, Oklahoma; Kathy Bruno and Husband Joe of Shreveport, Louisiana; Duwayne Ham and wife Patsene of Deport; Sandra Jeffus and husband Marshall of Garland, Texas; Gerald Ham and wife Barbara of Yukon, Oklahoma; eighteen grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild, loving nieces, nephews and friends. She was Granny to her family.  A kind, loving, generous person, she was loved by everyone who knew her.

Nanie never complained about hard work. She had numerous jobs throughout the years in addition to farming and ranching. She worked in a nursing home; for a dry cleaning business, as well as working for families in Dallas and locally. Many of the families she helped take care of stayed in touch with her after her retirement.  Caring for families, whether it was her own or others, was of utmost importance to her.

Nanie loved cooking, gardening, quilting, crafts, and reading, especially poetry. She loved playing the piano and singing. She and her husband, Ernest, often attended senior dances in their senior years. When she was in her eighties, she did volunteer work at the Deport Nursing Home, always greeting residents with a smile and a word of encouragement.  She was a prolific letter writer.  Writing words of encouragement to others came very natural to her.  At the age of 101, she sang “Waiting for the Train” and it was posted on You-Tube. One of Nanie’s favorite songs was, “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder”, and she is now and forever in that beautiful place.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 297, Deport, Texas 75435; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, JDRF Greater Dallas Chapter, 9400 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1201, Dallas, Texas 75231; or a charity of your choice.