Martha Grace Nagel

Martha Grace “Pat” Daniell Nagel passed from this life on Sunday, the 1st of January 2012, just weeks shy of her 80th birthday. She was born in Beaumont, Texas on the 22nd of February 1932, to W. Forrest and Alice Daniell, and in 1941 moved to West University Place in Houston, graduating from Lamar High School in 1949. The Daniell family was active in West University Baptist Church, where at age 16 she met her future husband, Richard Christian Nagel. They married on the 6th of October 1951, and moved to California to begin their lives together as a Navy family.

For the next 16 years, Pat and Richard moved between the East and West coasts, answering the needs of the Navy, while always managing to provide a good home for their five children. Pat served several tours of single-parent duty when Richard was sent to sea for months at a time. Through it all she was a patient and loving mom who didn’t believe in treating her children exactly alike yet was always fair. She always said they were five different individuals. Her patience was tested many times, but her firm yet affectionate guidance never wavered. She loved them unconditionally.

Pat is survived by her children, Dan Nagel and wife Susan of Houston; Wayne Nagel of Austin; Lauren Nagel of Houston; Kristen Hallman and husband Mark Hallman, and Allison Nagel and husband Mark Penniman of Austin; her grandchildren Chris Nagel and wife Shelley of Houston, Aurora Porter, Sophie Penniman, Taylor Hallman of Austin and great-granddaughter Virginia Grace Nagel of Houston. She is also survived by her sisters, Lola Kelley of Big Spring, Fran Riley of Lubbock, and her brother David Daniell and wife Lorna of Mobile, Alabama; as well as by numerous nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. Pat was preceded in death by her beloved husband of nearly 60 years, Richard; and by their grandson Zachary Glover.

Pat’s faith was a major part of her life. She was an active member of Westbury Baptist Church for over thirty years. After moving to Clarewood House, she and Richard also enjoyed attending chapel services there. Pat’s patriotism showed, both through her lifelong membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution and through always exercising her right to vote. She and Richard joked that they usually canceled each other’s votes, as she leaned Democrat and he leaned Republican. Pat especially enjoyed her 11-year membership in bookclub with daughter Lauren, always looking forward to the discussions.

The family extends their gratitude to the staff of St. Joseph’s ICU & George W. Strake 6th Floor, and the tender care provided by Vitas Hospice at Memorial Hermann Memorial City. Also, a very special thanks to all the staff at Clarewood House for their unwavering kindness to our parents.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from ten until eleven o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 9th of January, in Parlor B of Westbury Baptist Church, 10425 Hillcroft Street in Houston.

The funeral service is to immediately follow, at eleven o’clock, in the Sanctuary of Westbury Baptist Church, where Pastor Jeff Berger is to officiate.

Afterwards, all are invited greet the family during a reception at the church.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 10th of January, at Clarewood House, 7400 Clarewood Drive in Houston.

The interment is to be conducted at two o'clock that afternoon at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veteran's Memorial Drive in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be directed to the HHT Foundation, at P.O. Box 329, Monkton, MD, 21111 (or online at hht.org); SIMS Foundation, at P.O. Box 2152, Austin, TX, 78768-2152 (or online at simsfoundation.org); or to Vitas Hospice, at The Foundation for End-of-Life Care, 5430 NW 33rd Avenue, Suite 106, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33309 (or online at vitascharityfund.org).