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ack Milton Fleming, 90, a long-time resident of Nederland, Texas, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2004, at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont after an extended illness.
He was born November 25, 1913, in Forney, Texas, the second of three children of Virginia Lea Pinson and Solon G. Fleming. He attended Forney Public Schools and North Texas State Teachers College before graduating from The University of Texas in 1938 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. During his school years, he had worked for A&P Grocery and Pure Oil Company to help pay his college expenses. After graduation, he worked for Petreco and was transferred to Newark, Ohio, where he was working when he was again hired by Pure Oil Company at their Heath, Ohio refinery.
On November 9, 1941, he married Marie Rienstra of Nederland, Texas. Their first two children (Joanna Lee and Jean Marie) were born in Newark, where they remained until January 1, 1949. They were then transferred back to Nederland, Texas. After returning to Texas, two sons were born to Jack and Marie--Stephen Grady and Mark Daniel.
Jack was active in church and civic affairs, teaching Sunday School and serving on church committees at First United Methodist Church in Nederland. At various times he was active in Cub Scouts, PTA, Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, and served on the Nederland Independent School District Board of Trustees. He was a Life Member of the Texas PTA, Nederland Historical Society, University of Texas Exes and Nederland Chamber of Commerce. He also served as the first treasurer of the B.A. Ritter Senior Citizens Center.
He lived a life of honesty, integrity, kindness, selflessness, and joy. He lived every minute to its fullest. He was devoted to his community, his family, his wife, and his God. He will be profoundly missed, but never forgotten.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marie Rienstra Fleming; his sister, Mary Piper, of Temple; his brother, Daniel G. Fleming, of Temple; his daughters and their husbands, Joanna Lee Morgan and husband Mike, of Smithville, and Jean Fleming Powers and husband Bruce, of Houston; his sons, Stephen G. Fleming and wife Mary, of Nederland, and Mark D. Fleming of Galveston; nine grandchildren, Jeff Morgan and wife Kris, Jason Powers and wife Dawn, Scott Powers and wife Kate, Matthew Powers and wife Sarah, Tam Powers, Jim Powers, Greg Fleming and wife Jennifer, Rebecca Fleming, and Matthew Fleming; and two great-grandchildren, Spencer Powers and Ainsley Powers. He was predeceased by a grandchild, Stephen Powers.