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Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (12/17/2025)

THE PARIS NEWS, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2001: 'TEMPLE - Nelda Joan Allen Bewley went to be with her Lord Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2001, after an eight-year battle with multiple strokes. She was born in Cunningham on Dec. 2, 1932, to Fred and Lorette Allen. Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at Sheffield Funeral Home in Temple. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, in Cunningham Baptist Church with burial in Cunningham. Nell was a gifted musician who spent her adult life sharing her love of music with children. After obtaining her music degree from East Texas State University, she spent over 25 years in Austin teaching music and choir at several schools including Austin High School, Pleasant Hill, Odom, Barton Hills and Oak Hill Elementary Schools. In retirement, she began new music programs in Encinal and Cotulla and was an enthusiastic sales associate at Beall's Department Store. Nell shared her big soprano voice for over 30 years as a member of the Sanctuary Choir at the First Baptist Church of Austin. While coping with complications from massive strokes, she continued singing as a member of Heights Baptist Church in Temple. Her parents, her brothers John and Bob, and her sister Barbara preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Joany Wills and husband Robert and their children, Michael, Mitchell and Marshall of Christoval; her son, Mark Bewley and wife Susan and their children, Meredith and Madeleine of Pflugerville. Her brothers Fred Allen and Duane Allen, and a sister, Martha Allen Shannon, also survive her. The family wishes to thank the staffs at the Wildflower Assisted Living Center in Temple and the Crestview Nursing Center in Belton for their patient and loving care. The family suggests memorials be made to Heights Baptist Church of Temple or the Living Music Scholarship Fund at the First Baptist Church of Austin. Sheffield Funeral Home in Temple is in charge of the Temple arrangements and Wood Funeral Home in Deport is in charge of the Cunningham arrangements.'