William Denzil Nuckols

William Denzil "W. D." Nuckols, 98, of Clifton passed away quietly in his sleep on Wednesday, December 31, 2014. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church in Clifton with Rev. Reed Justus officiating. Burial followed at Clifton Cemetery.

Born January 8, 1916 in Whitney, he was the son of William Duke and Florence (McCabe) Nuckols. In 1931 the family moved to Clifton, where W. D. graduated from Clifton High School in 1933. He went on to earn his Electrical Engineering degree from Texas A&M and remained a lifelong Aggie supporter. W. D. married his high school sweetheart, Olena Townley, in 1938. They were happily married and devoted to each other for 65 years until Olena passed away in 2003.

During World War II, W. D. served in the United States Navy aboard the destroyer escort USS Eisele ("EYES-LEE") in the south Pacific. After the war, he worked for the Texas-New Mexico Power Company for 44 years, and retired as vice-president and chief engineer of the company in 1981. W. D. received the Edison Electric Institute's medal for lifesaving.

W. D. enjoyed fishing, boating, and spending time with family and friends. He was honest, a good storyteller, and a loving husband and father. During his lifetime he saw great changes, from kids riding their horses to school, the Great Depression, World War II, to computers, and landing a man on the moon. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Clifton and was a Freemason.

Also preceding him in death were his parents and two sisters, Ruth Mogford and Francis Cook.

Survivors include his daughter, Virginia Sue Zwick of Benbrook; son, James William Nuckols of Longview; four grandchildren, David Nuckols, Janai Thompson, Justin Zwick, and Bryan Zwick; and one great-grandson, Henry Nuckols.