Official Obituary of Clemberth “Gwen” (Massey) Nesser August 6, 1932 ~ November 3, 2024 (age 92)

Funeral Services for Clemberth “Gwen” Nesser, 92, of Clovis, will be held at 2:00 PM, Fri., Nov. 8, 2024 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Dr. Stacy Conner officiating.  Burial will follow in the Gavilan Memorial Garden Cemetery in Ruidoso, NM at 11:00 AM, Sat., Nov. 9, 2024 with Gary Hoadley, Brad Nesser, Deon Gallman, Brayden Gallman, Noel Nesser, David Kellerman, and Cisco Gonzales serving as pallbearers.

Clemberth Gwendola Nesser, known to virtually everyone as “Gwen,” was born Aug. 6, 1932, in Elk City, OK to the home of Virgie (Swing) and Paul Massey, and passed from this life on Sun., Nov. 3, 2024 in Farwell, TX.  Mrs. Nesser attended school in Merritt, a neighboring community near Elk City.  At approximately the age of 10 years, she contracted Polio, which affected her right leg and ankle.  Consequently, she spent several months in the hospital in Oklahoma City without her parents.  During that time, she began painting to pass the time.  She became very accomplished in both water colors and oil painting.  The disease caused her right leg to be shorter and her foot smaller than the left.  This caused her to have to wear two different sizes of shoe, and walk with a slight limp, but it never stopped this very determined lady.  Once she was back in school, she participated in the marching band playing the drums. 

On Mar. 30, 1951, in Elk City, she was married to her high school sweetheart, Norman Nesser even though she did not graduate until later that spring.  They decided on that course of action, as Mr. Nesser had received his draft notice, and they were originally told that if they were married, she would be able to go with him.  Unfortunately, that was not to be the case.  So, Gwen remained with her parents until he returned.

Once he came home, they made their home in Elk City until the company he worked for transferred him to Clayton, NM in 1958, and then to Portales in 1962.  Once settled in Portales, Mrs. Nesser kept very busy.  For more than 35 years she was employed at ENMU.  Through that time, she had served as secretary to the Dean of Business, and then the Dean of Music, and finally as Administrative Assistant to the Internal Auditor.  In addition to her regular duties, she took several college classes as well.

Mrs. Nesser was an accomplished seamstress, and worked doing the alterations for a local bridal shop.  She was also active in the community as a member of the Portales Altrusa Club where she served in several offices.  She was also an active member of the Red Hat Ladies and she along with her husband belonged to Good Sams with whom they traveled in addition to the various trips they made on their own.

Mrs. Nesser continued her painting throughout her lifetime, and was a member of La Escalara Art Guild, where she was recognized as Artist of the Month.  She was also awarded several honors for her water colors and oil paintings.  Her favorite subjects were Aspens and adobes, along with the mountains and streams of the southwest.  She even painted a herd of horses.  Mrs. Nesser also taught painting classes in her home.

While living in Portales she was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church.  She and her husband left Portales in the mid 1990’s to make their home in Ruidoso.  While living in Ruidoso, they attended several different churches, but mainly, they went to the Cowboy Church.  She and her husband together built a cabin in Las Vegas, NM and their home in Ruidoso.  In 2013 they moved to Clovis to be near their daughter and her husband.

Mrs. Nesser is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Brad and Catherine Nesser of Carlsbad, NM; her daughter and son-in-law, Dayna and Gary Hoadley of Clovis, NM; four grandchildren, David (Jackie) Kellerman of Las Cruces, NM, Desirae (Deon) Gallman of Lazbuddie, TX, Brittany Taylor of Ruidoso, NM, and San Tasha (Nick) Johnson of Lubbock, TX; and five great-grandchildren, Emma and Brayden Gallman, Ryker Kellerman, and Oliver and Cordelia Johnson.  She was preceded in death by both of her parents, a brother, Dale Massey, a sister Virginia Necessary, a great-grandson, Caiden Taylor, and by Norman Nesser, her beloved husband, who died April 16, 2024 after more than 73 years of marriage.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Clemberth “Gwen” (Massey) Nesser, please visit our floral store.