Nelwyn Green Trippet

Nelwyn Green Trippet passed away Monday morning, May 31, 2004, at Providence Hospital after suffering a heart attack in her home Friday evening. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, at First Baptist Church of Waco with private burial following at Oakwood Cemetery. Rev. Curtis Holland and Dr. Scott Walker will be officiating. Nelwyn Trippet was born July 10, 1918, in Leverett’s Chapel and was the only child of Lois Russell and John Walker Green. Her grandmother Rosa Russell lived to be 102 and was recognized by President Eisenhower as the last surviving Confederate widow. After graduating from Overton High School in 1934 and serving as a Duchess in the Tyler Rose Festival, Nelwyn went to Texas Women’s University in Denton for one year. She transferred to Baylor University and graduated in 1939 with a degree in education. While at Baylor she was a member of the DAP social club and was elected a Baylor Beauty. Her first year at Baylor she met William Murdock “Cheesy” Harman. They married April 22, 1939, in Overton, Texas. They had four children: William Murdock, Lois Nelwyn, Walker Green and John Russell. She became a widow in 1956 and later married Horace Hood “Bud” Trippet on August 23, 1958. Nelwyn and Bud moved to Waco with their family. Throughout her life, she was very active in the Waco community. She was a founding Director of Waco Cotton Palace and long time advisor to the Cotton Palace Board, Brazos Forum and Keep Waco Beautiful. She served as President of the Waco Symphony Women’s Council, Waco Literary Club and Friday Forum. After serving as President of the McLennan County Medical Auxiliary, she became President of the Texas Medical Association Auxiliary, for which she traveled throughout the state as a goodwill ambassador for medicine. Her honors included Outstanding Waco Woman by the Baylor Mortar Board, Pathfinder Award by the YWCA and Outstanding Alum and Service Awards by Kappa Alpha Theta at Baylor. She was an ardent supporter of Baylor University throughout her life and traveled with Baylor athletic teams when her husband was the team physician. The Harman/Trippet family was designated a First Family of Baylor in 2002. She also served on the Board of Directors for Friends of Baylor Fine Arts, Historic Waco Foundation, Friends of the Library, Waco Symphony Association, East Terrace and Evangelia. She loved sharing her home and garden for community events and her beautiful garden was featured in Southern Living magazine. She was a gracious hostess, an avid bridge player and a loyal friend to many, as well as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bud Trippet; son, Bill Harman; and her life long friends Arillis Walker “Re Re” and Leonard Jones. She was dearly loved and will be missed by her children, Nelwyn and Ross Reagan, Walker and Elaine Harman, Russell and Debbe Trippet; grandchildren, Curt and Debbie Harman, Rob and Paige Reagan, Brad Reagan, Betsy and Craig Roy, Walker Harman, Jr., Brent and Courtney Harman, Elizabeth Trippet Harman, Wynne, Rachel and Mary Helen Trippet; great-grandchildren, Crystal and Courtney Harman, McKay and Ainsley Harman, Abby Roy; and devoted friend Gasper Nunez. In addition to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, survivors include her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Harry and Patti Rose Trippet, Brooks and Betty Jo Harman and Willeen McMahan; nieces, Fay Swann, Serena Early, Sue T. Young, Bonnie Hartley and husband, Christi Stinson and husband and Lucinda Harman; nephews, Brooks Harman, Jr. and wife, Robert McMahan and wife; and numerous grand-nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be grandsons, Curt Harman, Rob and Brad Reagan, Walker Harman, Jr., Brent Harman; family members, Craig Roy, Joseph Budd Trippet and Robert Harry Trippet; and family friends, Roy Taylor and Gasper Nunez. Honorary pallbearers will be Joe Ward, Jesse Milam, Dr. William Roddy, Billy Utsey, Carl Barrett, Roane Lacy, Jack Flanders, Brooks Harman and Harry Trippet. The family would like to express special thanks to Dr. Bill Pitts, the nurses of Providence Hospital ICU and the 5th floor, and Thelma Pringle for her years of service to Nelwyn. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Baylor University BU Development, 1 Bear Place Box 75026, Waco, Texas 76798-7026, First Baptist Church Waco 500 Webster Ave., Waco, Texas 76706, and Compassion Ministries 1421 Austin Ave, Waco, Texas 76701. The family will be at 3723 Chateau on Tuesday evening, from 6-8 p.m.