Martin Nelms

Martin L. Nelms, Jr, age 95, of Independence, Ks went to his heavenly home Thursday, March 24, 2016 at Montgomery Place, Independence, Kansas. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m, Monday March 28, 2016 at the Potts Chapel, Independence, KS with the Reverend Joe Davolt and Reverend Albert Schaper officiating under the direction of the Potts Chapel in Independence, Kansas.
Book signing will be held from 8 a.m until time of the service. The family has suggested memorials to the Independence Bible School or the Bible Holiness Church Foreign Missionary Department and contributions may be left at the Potts Chapel in Independence, Kansas.
Martin Lee Nelms, Jr., was born June 9, 1920 in Lavaca, Arkansas to Martin Lee Nelms, Sr. and Gertrude (Chapel) Nelms. They moved to Barnsdall, Oklahoma when he was five years old, where he attended school through his junior year in High School. He transferred to the Immanuel Missionary School in Colorado Springs, CO for his senior year and then several years of college. Upon his return to Oklahoma he spent several years in evangelistic work with Rev. Naaman Dowty.
On November 16, 1942 he was married to Althea Schaper in Troy, Missouri. To this union were born two sons, Donald Lee and James Robert.
In subsequent years he was the minister of churches in several states but also found time to continue his education, graduating from Pittsburg State College in 1960 with a BA degree. He taught at the Independence Bible School for most of the next 25 years and, also, was pastor of the Independence Bible Holiness church for 12 of those years. He and his wife have been residents of Independence, KS from 1960 to the present. As a minister with the Bible Holiness Church organization he was involved with many church boards, especially the foreign missionary board. In this capacity he made several trips to the Caribbean to visit the missionary work there. During this time he and his wife, also, were privileged to make several overseas trips, traveling to many foreign countries including several visits to Israel.
Even from a young age, Martin had an interest in flying and when his two sons became pilots, he acted on this desire and obtained his pilot's license, eventually logging more than 700 hours.
He is survived by his wife, Althea of the home: one son, Don and wife Delight of Rocklin, CA; one brother-in-law, Kenneth Montgomery of Shoals IN; one granddaughter, Laurie Pfaff and husband, Randy of Rocklin, CA; one grandson-in-law, Rick Provence of Colorado Springs, CO; five great grandchildren; Matthew Provence of Colorado Springs, Co and Marissa Provence of Oceanside, CA; Arielle Cromer and husband Jeff, of Lincoln, CA, and Adrianna and Ashley Pfaff of Rocklin CA; and one great great grandson, Julian Cromer of Lincoln, CA; along with many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death, besides his parents were one son, James Robert at age 22; one granddaughter at age 50, and one brother Charles Robert at age 2 and one sister Betty J. Montgomery

Visitation

Potts Chapel
122 South Penn Ave.
Independence, KS  67301
Monday, March 28, 2016
8am til service time

Service

Potts Chapel
122 South Penn Ave.
Independence, KS  67301
Monday, March 28, 2016
10:30 am

Memorial Contributions

Independence Bible School
2246 S 10th St
Independence, KS  67301

the Bible Holiness Church
370 W College Ave
Independence, KS  67301