Horace Leon Nail

Horace Leon Nail, husband, father and grandfather, passed away in Bryan, Texas at the age of 86. He was born May 15, 1938, in a small farmhouse in Panola County, East Texas, near Carthage. The eldest of three sons born to Walter and Maurine Nail of Bellville, Texas, Horace often joked he could “whip both his younger brothers at the same time.”

A 1956 graduate of Bellville High School, Horace excelled in sports and cherished the lifelong friendships he made there. He continued his education at Blinn College, North Texas University, and ultimately Sam Houston State University, where he earned his B.S. in 1960 and his M.Ed. in 1962.

He dedicated 33 years to public education, working in Grapeland, Palacios, and Royal I.S.D., where he made a lasting impact on countless students and educators.

In 1971, Horace met Myrna Jean Jordan at her variety store in Brookshire while buying red thread to mend tracksuits. They married on June 11, 1972, and shared a loving life together for 51 years, raising three daughters—Mary Ann, Amy, and Robbie—in Brookshire before moving to Bryan in 2008.

Horace was a devoted family man, a member of the Methodist Church in both Brookshire and Bryan, and an avid golfer and gardener. He found joy in sharing his harvest with relatives and friends. He was most proud of his grandchildren and took every opportunity to instill values of hard work, focus, and kindness.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Fate and Lillian Grafton, paternal grandparents Homer and LuElla Nail,his parents Walter and Maurine Nail, his brother Jerry Nail and sister-in-law Anna Bell, infant grandson Chase Elliot Bezanson, and great-nephew Connor Adams.

He is survived by his wife, Myrna Nail of Bryan; his brother Owen Nail and wife Janice of Georgia; his daughters Mary Ann Jordan of Brookshire, Amy Jean McWilliams of Montgomery, and Robbie Reinhardt and husband Ken of Franklin. He leaves behind grandchildren Dustin and Keith Harwell of Fulshear, Lauren Woods of Montgomery, Noah and Lilly Reinhardt of Franklin, along with many beloved nieces, nephews, and close friends including Jimmy Paul Haven, Eddy Boyd, and members of the morning coffee and Tuesday night groups.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.