It is with great sorrow that the family of Nina Mabel Gomez Parham announces her death on May 28, 2008 in Humble, Texas. Nina was an extraordinarily courageous and resilient woman who led a very interesting life and faced every challenge with grace. Though she never weighed more than ninety-five pounds, she was a giant in the lives of many.
Nina Parham was born on May 5, 1922 in the country of British Honduras, now Belize. Her father, Joseph Gomez, was a Portuguese immigrant to Belize and her mother, Iris Blanche Morey, was a descendant of Anglo-Irish immigrants to that country. As a teenager, Nina was diagnosed with malaria and, on medical advice, moved to New Orleans to live with relatives. There she easily adapted to life in this new culture and went on to graduate from high school and complete training in cosmetology.
In 1943 she married Belizean immigrant George Parham, who had recently joined the U.S. Navy. During the war, she followed her husband to the West coast and awaited him there while he was deployed in the South Pacific. After the war, they settled in Orange, Texas where their four children were born. Nina delighted in raising her children and was a wonderful mother and consummate homemaker.
In 1985, she moved to Beaumont, then Sour Lake to live with her daughter Gail Rexses. She became a devout member of Our Lady of Victory Church in Sour Lake. Around that time she began to take a very active part in the upbringing of her seven grandchildren, and was present at the birth of each of them. The lives and personalities of these young people, who are her most enduring legacy, have been profoundly influenced by her wise advice and the generous grandmotherly care she gave to all of them.
Last year, Nina moved with her daughter Gail’s family to Humble, Texas. During this last year, as her health began to deteriorate, she turned as ever to her beloved Catholic Church and courageously faced the suffering that preceded her passing.
Nina devoted her life to her family. In raising her children, she placed emphasis on three things—the importance of a firm faith in God, the indispensability of a good education, and the primacy of the virtues of charity and honesty in human interactions. Thus, she was active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Orange and ensured that her children received a strong Catholic education. Furthermore, at great sacrifice to herself, she made sure that those of her children who so desired received a fine college education, and as a result, all three of her daughters today hold advanced degrees in their fields. Finally, because of how deeply she believed in the importance of the virtue of charity, she went to great lengths to encourage her children to act with charity and generosity each and every day. This she did through both word and deed.
Due in part to her charitable nature and hospitable nature and in part to her effervescent personality, Nina was the favorite aunt and sister-in-law in the family. For the same reasons, she had many friends and her memory is cherished by them and the relatives who survive her. Her kitchen at 1812 Houston Street in West Orange, Texas was the hub of social activity for the entire neighborhood. Every morning her friends would meet there for strong Seaport coffee, lively conversation and lots of advice and help from Nina and her guests. Later in the day, if someone was sick, Nina would send over a bowl of gumbo. Anytime a friend was experiencing financial hardship, she’d send something to help her out. If someone needed a ride to the doctor or the store, Nina would take her. Whenever she was shopping and found a blouse, say, that would fit Mrs. Sobota or Miss Irene, she’d bring it home for her. As for the large family that she’d left behind in Belize, she was always involved in some way in taking care of them. For instance, she arranged for her sister and four young children to immigrate to the U.S. in the ‘60s. Over the years, she lugged to the post office innumerable large packages to be mailed to family in Belize, packages of things that just could not be found in Belize at that time. Whether it was a special pair of pants or a washing machine, Nina managed to get it to Belize when her family needed it. That’s how she was: no task was too overwhelming for this tiny, kind woman.
Nina Parham was a strong, loving woman who confronted adversity with a stoic and generous heart and who lived the good times with gusto. She was a truly unique woman who influenced the lives of many. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, especially her daughters, Mary Parham and her husband Timothy Hagerty; Gail Rexses and her husband John Rexses; and Iris Parham and her husband Edward Swarbrick. Also left to mourn the loss of their beloved “Granny” are her seven grandchildren: Kevlin Hagerty, Erin Swarbrick, Blythe Parham, Alexandra Rexses, Caitlin Rexses, Maria Parham and Hannah Parham. She was predeceased by her son, Michael Parham.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 31, 2008 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church in Sour Lake with burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2008 at the Mortuary.
