Mable Lou (Lewis) Nelson
Region 6 RVP 1984-85
December 18, 1928 - June 30, 2018
by Ray Houston

Mable Lou (Lewis) Nelson was born in LeCompte, Louisiana, on December 18, 1928, the daughter of Julius Earl Lewis & Frances (Couvillon) Lewis.

Mable's father left Louisiana with other men from the family and traveled to Port Arthur, Texas, to seek employment during hard times of the depression. Other family members stayed behind until they could obtain enough money to join them. Mable, her older sister, Vera Lee, mother, aunt and cousins, traveled to Port Arthur some months later and waited several days backed-up in traffic to cross the Neches River at Dryden Ferry.

After Mable & Louis Arthur "Bud" Nelson, Jr. married in 1948, they lived in Port Arthur, Texas, for many years and then moved to Port Neches, Texas. Bud was a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. He served with honor as a Cadet Midshipman in the U.S. Merchant Marines during WWII, becoming a Commissioned Officer in U.S. Navy Reserve, reaching the rank of Commander. In civilian life he was a Pharmacist. He was an avid Civil War historian and at one time a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Bud passed away on December 7, 2001, after a sudden illness. Their son, Louis Arthur "Artie" Nelson III, was lost at sea in the Gulf of Mexico, October 26, 1980, and was never found.

Mable was an avid reader of Plantation history and culture along the Mississippi river and traveled with friends to visit and tour many estates.

Mable began growing daylilies in the mid-1960s. While camping, Mable's mother saw some daylilies in a bucket of water. When she asked about them, a woman told her that she received the daylilies from Lucille Williamson. Mable's mother went by Lucille's garden and bought several plants. That began Mable's love for daylilies.

Mable joined the American Hemerocallis Society (AHS) in 1969 and was a long time member of the Gulf Coast Daylily Society until the club disbanded on November 5, 2011. She served on all the club committees, and served as club President, Flower Show Chair, and Activities Chair.

Photography is another area in which Mable excelled. She was a successful entrant in the AHS photo contests and contributed many photos to the AHS slide library.

Mable served as 1984-85 Region 6 RVP and Newsletter Editor. She also served for many years as an AHS Garden Judge and a Senior Exhibition Judge. Her programs and lectures to various garden clubs helped educate growers on the subject of modern daylilies.

In 1995, Mable was honored as recipient of the AHS Region 6 Service Award for her service to Region 6 and AHS.

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