Perry Leslie Nettles

Perry Leslie Nettles passed away Wednesday, February 24, 2016 while feeding cows at Lake Limestone. Visitation will be held Friday, February 26, 2016 from 6-8 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 27, 2016, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Brother Richard Williams and Brother Clif Fox of the Church of Christ of Groesbeck officiating. Burial will follow in the Old Union Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jared Nettles, Dan Wright, Stanley Boyd, Kelley Boyd, Rand Bates, Charles Gray, Ronnie Bates, David Dickey, and Greg Gonzales. Honorary pallbearers will be Red Martin, Jack Armbruster, Wayne Martin, Jim Rains, Bobby Gene Rains, Morris Nettles, Joe Wayne Jackson, and the Class of 1958. Perry was born December 20, 1939 in the Old Union Community, to parents, Leslie and Raye Thomason Nettles. Growing up, Perry was called Peckerwood by his Uncle Henry, due to red highlights in his hair. The nickname “Peck” stuck with his five sisters. Perry graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1958, and had been involved in FFA in school as well as involved in farming and ranching with his Dad all his life. He grew up going everywhere with his Dad, and was driving a tractor by the age of 9. One time as a very young boy, he and his Dad had worked all day at the river pasture, and coming home on horseback, he fell asleep and fell off the horse. His Dad thought he was dead and brought him home in a wagon, but he revived and suffered a messed-up collarbone. Perry served six years in the National Guard. He went to work right out of high school for Gulf States Telephone Co., working up from a crew setting new poles and installing new lines, through all the changes in the phone company to United Telephone and eventually to Sprint, and working his way up through the Central Office as a Service Supervisor. Perry was one of 9 phone employees trained at Texas A&M on underground cables. He learned his skills on the job, he was very smart and had natural mechanical talent. He later transferred to Palestine and Athens, and was a Service Supervisor Manager of the East Texas District at the time of his retirement in 1999, after forty-one years. Perry met the love of his life, Karen Rains, on March 25, 1996, and they were married on March 22, 1997. They would celebrate their 19th. wedding anniversary next month. Perry was always active, especially in his younger years, playing volleyball and softball, and he enjoyed boating and water-skiing. Perry also enjoyed riding his motorcycle. His last road trip was with his son Jared. They had the best time riding together that day. After his retirement, Perry continued farming and ranching. His cows were like pets to him, as they would follow him around like puppy dogs. One friend said that Perry was the only man he knew who could drive a cattle trailer up to the pen in the pasture and his cows would pen themselves. And his dogs loved to go with him to feed the cows, riding in the front seat and coming home to spend the night in the “Doggie-Hilton” he built (and Karen decorated) for them. He also had a vegetable garden every year, and he and Karen would raise lots of vegetables. He also made the best fig preserves every year. Perry and Karen, along with their best friends, Rand and Linda Bates always got together on Friday nights, taking turns as to which home they would meet and then go out to eat before coming back to play dominoes or card games. They also took a vacation in the early fall going to Colorado and beyond every year. Perry was a jack-of-all trades; he could fix anything. He also was a mechanic, furniture builder, repairman, rancher, cook, and could drive a dozer. He was a self-taught guitar player, who loved to play and sing country music at home and on the Friday nights with the Bates. In the past six months, he started playing with Rand Bates and friends at the monthly Oletha Jamboree and at the Groesbeck LTC Nursing Home. He was the best husband and father. He loved his family and always enjoyed family get-togethers. He was always willing to help out friends and neighbors when he was needed. He was a jokester; he loved to tease and could take the teasing back. He always enjoyed cousins Richard and Bobby Jack visiting at the lake as they were also big teasers. Perry was the beloved brother of five sisters and he was their rock. Preceding him in death were his baby son, Thomas Scott Nettles; his parents, Leslie and Raye Nettles; brothers-in-law, Joe Lincecum and Tommy Ticknor; nephews, Layne Martin and Wally Sherrod; and his nephew-in-law, Howard Irby. He is survived by his wife Karen Nettles of Groesbeck; son Jared Nettles of Houston; stepson, Dan Wright of Marquez; sisters: Martha Martin (Red) of Thornton, Jean Nettles of Groesbeck, Jo Boyd (Stanley) of Groesbeck, Billie Ticknor of Groesbeck, and Pat Lincecum of Thornton. His extended family includes a sister-in-law, June Armbruster (Jack) of Montgomery; brothers-in-law, Jim Rains of Gilroy, CA and Bobby Gene Rains of Bryan; step grandchildren: Spencer Wright of Temple, Shelby Wright of Temple, Madisyn Wright of Buffalo, and Makenzie Wright of Buffalo. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He also leaves behind his cow-feeding dogs, Sam, Cocoa, Bear and Butch, and two felines, Gracie and TJ.