William (Bill) Vance Nash

William (Bill) Vance Nash Past Huntsville Mayor and businessman, William (Bill) Vance Nash died July 19, 2011 at his home surrounded by his family. He was 82 years old and spent many of those years doing exactly what he dreamed of doing when he was a boy of seven sitting across from his mother helping to draw the plans for their new home. He came to Huntsville in 1968 and began Nash Construction Company. He was a problem solver, a civic leader and a builder and became an integral part of the Huntsville community through the years. Bill was born in Rusk, Texas in 1929 to Oscar and Lela Nash. He graduated valedictorian of Cayuga High School at fifteen years old and came to Huntsville on a basketball scholarship to Sam Houston State Teachers College in the fall of 1945. He made the starting team along with older, much more experienced, returning military veterans and was nicknamed by Coach “Puny” Wilson as “the kid.” After two years in pre-engineering classes at Sam, he transferred to the University of Texas where he received his degree in Architectural Engineering in 1950. During the Korean War, Bill served four years in the Air force and was fortunate to be able to use his engineering skills and knowledge in all his assignments. Bill was selected to attend Officer Candidates School (OCS) at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Under the intense pressures of OCS he developed his habit of reviewing problems and considering solutions after the lights went out. He maintained this practice all his life. He graduated OCS in December 1951 as a 2nd Lt., and was assigned to Griffis Air Force Base in Rome, New York. At this time, early 1952, with the jet aircraft becoming more prevalent, there was a need for facilities to test materials at much more extreme temperatures and to test components under these new conditions. Griffis, being a research and development base, was chosen to house this laboratory. At 23 years old, Bill was designated representative of the Air Force and the chief inspector in the conversion of the existing lab building into the needed facility. He received from the Commanding General of Griffis Air Force Base and from the Chief Engineer of Lenox, commendations of his work with this project. This led him to his next assignment as the Base Engineering Officer at Bitburg Air Force Base in Germany, where he would oversee the completion of one of three strategic bases being constructed at that crucial time in the cold war. He again received recognition for his work and for completing the project six months ahead of schedule and six months before the other two bases were completed. Following his military years, one of his civilian projects was to work on support facilities for missile sites all over the United States where he implemented the Critical Path Method into building construction. “I was personally very proud to have been the construction manager of the pilot project on which Critical Path Method (CPM) was used. The significance of that experience was not realized until several years later. Within just a few years after the pilot, every engineering school in the United States was using CPM. Some fifteen years after the pilot project, the system was computerized. CPM is now taught in Business School Management courses as well as Engineering and Architectural schools.” Bill fell in love with Una Grace Glazener whom he met in Fairfield, TX where his family moved in 1946. The couple married in 1952 and recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on June 15th. After their years with the Military, they lived in Houston and Lubbock before choosing Huntsville in 1968 to start his own business. Many local, commercial buildings still in use were built by Nash Construction Company including the post office on 10th Street, Huntsville City Hall and the SHSU Health Center. The company built all over East Texas from Galveston to Beaumont, Jasper, Lufkin, Livingston, Conroe and Palestine. He immersed himself in community affairs in Huntsville. Bill and Una Grace joined the First United Methodist Church where he served on many boards and committees. He was appointed director of the Huntsville Housing Authority; he served on the board of Huntsville National Bank for many years; and he was elected president of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce in 1980. He served as Mayor of Huntsville from 1981-1985. He was chair of the Building and Grounds Committee for the Wynne Home and the Cultural Activities Foundation. Rotary was a vital part of his life since 1969. He served as president of the Rotary Club of Huntsville in 1971-72, and District Governor of the Larger East Texas District in 1990-91. Golf was a favorite sport, and he continued playing it throughout his life. He was elected the first president of the Elkin’s Lake Men’s Golf Association, and was always proud of having won first place at the grand opening Elkin’s Lake golf tournament. Because of his interest in SHSU sports, Bill supported their baseball team and traveled as a sponsor with the golf team. He was instrumental in forming one of the early Bearkat Clubs that was established to promote the involvement and relationship between Huntsville citizens and all the sports programs at SHSU. He coached and sponsored many girls’ sports teams over the years including the Nash Tornadoes where daughters Grace and Claire played on the team and Juliana was assistant coach. Bill also enjoyed sailing with his friends and family. Docking under sails without the motor was one of his favorite memories. In recent years, he’s spent much of his time on his interests of water color painting and genealogical research. Many of his paintings are of the ancestral sites of his MacKinnon family forebears on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. After hours of research he wrote a book that traces the Nash family back through eleven generations to the first William Nash who came from England to Virginia in 1635. Bill devoted much energy and thought to his family and friends and will be remembered for his dedication, support, love and humor. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Una Grace Nash of Huntsville; sister and brother-in-law, Dixie and Donald Thornton of Waterwood; daughters, Juliana Nash Woodall of Austin, TX, Grace Nash Meeks (David Meeks) of Sonoma, CA, and Amanda Claire Brummé (Philip Brummé) of Sonoma, CA; grandchildren, Christiana Philastre (Joe Philastre), Kenna Woodall, Calla Woodall, Delaney Brummé, and Lachlan Brummé; great-grandchild Madeleine Philastre; and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 23rd at the First United Methodist Church of Huntsville. Visitation hours are scheduled from 5-7 pm on Friday, July 22nd at the Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the First United Methodist Church, 1016 Sam Houston Avenue, Huntsville, Texas 77320 for the new Ella Smither Geriatric Center. Those wishing to leave memorial condolences for the family may do so at www.shmfh.com

William (Bill) Vance Nash

January 1, 1753 - July 23, 2011