Noma
Nell (Minze)(Higgins) Thomas
February 19, 1936 - December 21, 2019
Noma Nell (Minze) (Higgins) Thomas was born February 19,1936 to Ava
(Wilson) and Jake Minze in the Box Church Community of Limestone County,
and on December 21, 2019 went to Heaven in Mexia, Tx. These dates are
only the bookends to the life that Noma Nell lived as a steward of the
Lord through her relationships with family, students, and friends.
Growing up as an only child in a hard-working farming/ranching family,
Noma Nell was very close to her large extended family. She attended
early schools in Groesbeck, Forest Glade, and Delia and graduated with
honors from Coolidge High School in 1954.
Later that year, Noma Nell married R.S. Higgins, Jr and began her travel
adventures moving to Eastland, Brackettville, Stanton, Tarzan, Coahoma,
Nashville, Belton, Big Spring, Alice, Mexia, Farmers Branch, Deer Park,
Baytown, Fairfield, Teague, and Springfield. Throughout her adult life
she continued her love of raising horses to be used in rodeo racing and
cutting.
After attending Howard College, Texas A&M, and Stephen F Austin
Universities, she earned her Master’s degree in English, History, and
Education, specializing in teaching High School English and journalism.
She retired in 2012 after teaching at Limestone Correctional Facility
and Navarro College. During this time, she acquired another extended
family, the coaching Mullets, that moved and worked together and even
still meet for reunions every summer.
In 1987, Noma Nell married Jimmy Thomas, continuing her adventures and
stewardship, and added another special part of her family. Noma Nell
especially enjoyed doing extended family genealogy and traveling to
locations to research in person. She became a member and officer of the
DAR and DRT, working with the local school’s scholarship essay contests.
As a lifelong adult member of the Methodist church, Noma Nell was an
active member in the choir, study groups, and leadership. After
retirement, Noma Nell enjoyed working out at the CLC in Mexia, singing
in Wings of Joy, flower gardening, serving at the local food pantry &
Meals on Wheels, sewing, painting, learned to play guitar, attending
events of family & friends, and socializing with everyone she came
across at the local cafes and shops.
She believed in promoting positivity through service, prayer, secret
acts of kindness, and dressing for success. Noma Nell is affectionately
remembered as a cowgirl fashionista with an infectious friendly
attitude.
Noma Nell is preceded in death by her parents and sons Bryan Neal
Higgins and Scott Higgins and many cousins and other extended family.
She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Thomas of Groesbeck; children:
Dawn Higgins, Deb & Philip Howell, and Brad Thomas; daughter-in-law:
Dale McMichael; grandchildren: Misty & Dennis Sprouse, Meredith & Ryan
Jones, Wyatt Turk, Claire Higgins, Clayton Turk; great grandchildren:
Keegan & MaKenna Sprouse, Cooper & Bennett Jones; sisters-in-law, JoAnne
Thomas and Glynda Underwood; and numerous extended family members.
Please continue to honor Noma Nell through making a contribution to the
local Caritas or church, ALSA.org, CureALZ.org, Safe Haven Equine
Rescue, “paying it backwards” at the cash register, or joining a local
service organization (no flowers please).
A Memorial service will be held at 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 11, 2020
at First Methodist Church in Groesbeck. Visitation prior to the Memorial
Service will be at the church from 11:00 until 1:30. Honorary
Pallbearers (Mullet sons) are Rusty Parker, Lenny Loyd, Rick Dykes,
Kevin Crousen, Scotty Pugh, Clay Miller, Jay Pugh, Sonny Dykes, Monty
Miller, and J.J. Griffin.
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