Joe Love Nelson

Longtime Lubbock resident and civic leader, Joe Love Nelson, died Thursday, September 7, 2023 in her home surrounded by family. She leaves behind a strong and impressive legacy of community service and advocacy. Nelson was born Joe Love Stogner in Hobart, Oklahoma on September 1, 1936 to Charles H (Chalky) Stogner and Ruby Love Culwell Stogner. She was very proud of her Chickasaw heritage. Her family moved to Lubbock in 1948. She attended Carol Thompson Junior High, Lubbock High School, and Texas Tech University, where she earned a BA in Foreign Language. On August 31, 1957, she married her high school sweetheart, George Howard Nelson. Joe Love was a driving force in the Lubbock Community, the State of Texas, the United States, and world-wide volunteering her time and skills for the benefit of many organizations. Her service on boards and as a volunteer includes the Texas Council on Family Violence, Camp Fire Girls, Well Baby Clinic, South Plains Chapter of the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, Ballet Lubbock, Marion Moss Enterprises, Milam's Children's Training Center, Fiestas Del LLano, Children's Miracle Network, Lubbock Interagency Action Council, League of Women Voters, Lubbock Domestic Violence Task Force, Zeta Tau Alpha, YWCA of Lubbock, YWCA National Board of Directors, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People and the Junior League of Lubbock, through which she founded Women's Protective Services of Lubbock, her crowning achievement. She served as the executive director of WPS for 10 years and retired after she brought the agency to a state of financial stability and robust community support. Joe Love was the recipient of many awards including Texas Council on Family Violence Catherine Chambers Volunteer of the Year Award, Women Helping Women Award by the Soroptimist Club, Gold Medal Award by Women in Communications, Community Volunteer of the Year by the Texas Department of Human Services, Roy Bass Human Services Volunteer of the Year by the City of Lubbock, Pathfinder Award by the Lubbock Committee for Women, and Women of Excellence Special Award by the YWCA of Lubbock. Joe Love was predeceased by her parents and her baby sister, Catherine Frank Stogner Jarrell. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, George Howard Nelson, her four children, Eric Nelson of Lubbock, Margie Nelson Keith of Charlotte. N.C., Elizabeth Nelson and husband Kirby Mauldin of Lubbock, and John Nelson of Lubbock, a brother, Charles H. Stogner, Jr. of Houston, seven grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 11, 2023 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 4600 48th St. Lubbock, Texas. The service can be viewed live on YouTube.com\@CovenantPresbyterianChurch-LBK\streams. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Women's Protective Services of Lubbock, Inc., P.O. Box 54089, Lubbock, Texas 79453, or your favorite charity.

Joe Love Nelson

September 1, 1936 - September 7, 2023