CAROLYN LOUISE NASH BRELSFORD
1936-2018
CAROLYN LOUISE NASH BRELSFORD, an immensely creative and devoted teacher, died April 24, 2018, in Houston at the age of 81.
Carolyn was born on December 13, 1936, in Ft. Worth, Texas, to David and Inez Nash. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education at Texas Christian University. She celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband John in December, 2010.
Carolyn loved music, art, writing, traveling, and being with her grandsons. She volunteered to teach art and accompany violin rehearsals for many years at her daughter’s elementary school. Carolyn always enjoyed playing the piano and drawing, which she continued doing long after most of her memories had faded. We will always remember “Heart and Soul” as the last piece she was able to play, and she played it a lot. She was very proud of her grandsons in all they did, especially Everett for his love of music and talent for playing piano and Alex for his love of learning and enthusiasm for teaching others.
As Carolyn and John moved frequently during the 60’s for John’s education and academic career, Carolyn taught in elementary classrooms and music rooms across the country: Ft. Worth, Austin, California, and Connecticut. They moved to Houston in 1970, and she was finally able to put down teaching roots. Carolyn loved teaching her preschool “Chickadees” at the School for Little Children at Bellaire United Methodist Church from 1971 to 1980. She moved back to working with school-age children at Corpus Christi Catholic School, where she taught from 1980 until retiring from teaching in 2001. At Corpus, Carolyn taught 3rd and 4th grade and went on to create and coordinate the Gifted and Talented program at the school. In 1994, she took on the challenge of teaching middle school mathematics, while starting and serving as the faculty advisor for the school’s National Junior Honor Society chapter.
Carolyn was the favorite teacher for many of her students. She taught with compassion, patience, humor, and kindness. She loved teaching and was always thinking about how to make learning fun. A highlight of her 3rd grade class was writing letters to Bonnie, the family dog, who then wrote the kids back. Even in her last years of teaching she came up with new projects that encouraged her students to learn in different ways. For many years after retirement, her students approached her when they saw her in the Houston community, excitedly recounting their favorite memories of her classes. In the words of her dear friend and CCCS principal, Marty Webb, “Carolyn was wise and loving and intuitive and never met a child she didn’t love. She saw the good in everyone. She remembered so much about every child she ever taught and had a piece of work – an essay, a drawing, or a poem – that child had created.”
From 1988 to 1993 Carolyn served with her husband as Co-Master of Brown College at Rice University. Living on campus, she provided counseling, care, and encouragement; and was a surrogate mom to students away from their own families. “Mrs. B” and “Doc B” loved being at Brown College! They excitedly donned togas for Brown’s annual Toga Party – and even dressed Bonnie in a little toga. When a local sperm bank sponsored Brown for the huge Beer-Bike competition, Carolyn dressed as an ovum while John was a sperm, as they proudly led the Brown College parade out to Rice Stadium. Carolyn’s study breaks overflowing with homemade treats were always well-attended and much-appreciated, and her Thanksgiving dinners for “orphan” Rice students who couldn’t go home for the holiday were legendary.
Carolyn is survived by her daughter Kristin Brelsford Adkins and husband Bert; grandsons Everett and Alex Adkins; brothers David Nash, Jr. and his wife Judy, Hollis Nash and his wife Linda, and Robert Nash and his wife Cindy; along with many nieces and nephews and their families. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband John Walker Brelsford, Jr.
A memorial service will be held at eleven o’clock in the morning on Saturday, May 5, at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, 6221 Main Street in Houston, where the Reverend Patrick Hall, Diocesan Missioner to Rice University, will officiate. Following the service, all are invited to a reception in Fellowship Hall for a celebration of Carolyn’s life.
We thank her family at Sheltering Arms and Garden Terrace for taking care of Carolyn in her final years. And we curse you, Alzheimer’s – you despicable sneak-thief who stole Carolyn’s precious memories until they were all gone – you took her away from us too soon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association - Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter (www.alz.org/texas/).