Clay Weldon Mims

Clay Weldon Mims, 94, of Midland departed this earthly life on June 5, 2024.  A graveside service will be held at the Resthaven Cemetery with family and friends on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 10:00.  A memorial service will be held at the Westside Church of Christ on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 officiated by Mike Vestal, assisted by Mike Crowley.  Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland.

Clay was born on August 14, 1929 in Fort Phantom Hill, Texas to Barney Gibb Mims and Ila Hailey Mims, the third of five children.  He was proceeded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Margaret Duff Mims, a son Mark Wayne Mims and a grandson Garrett Engler.  Also preceding him in death were his sisters Christine Barnett, Dorthy Pinkston and a brother Douglas Mims.

Surviving Clay are his son Scott and wife, Caren Mims and grandchildren Brent and Carri of Midland; his daughter Janice Mims of Houston and grandchildren Ryan Engler and Rachel Jordan.  Clay is also survived by his brother Jack Mims and family of Midland, four great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

When Clay was born, the family lived at Ft. Phantom Hill, a former Confederate Army installation in Jones County, about fifteen miles north of Abilene, TX.  1929 was also the year generally considered to be the beginning of the Great Depression but the Mims were a farming family and even though times were tough they were able to put food on the table from the produce they grew and meat from fishing, hunting or butchering the pigs they raised.  Ila was a hardworking, farming wife and mother, and an excellent cook who took great care of her family.  Some of Clay’s best memories of his childhood were his mother cooking fried chicken served with green beans, black-eyed peas, potatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon, all grown on the farm.  Clay began his schooling in nearby Lystra, also known at one time as Centerline, TX, in a two-room school where Mrs. Hawk was his first teacher.

In 1939 the Mims family moved to Lenorah, TX in Martin County and there they continued to farm. Clay attended the school at Lenorah until he transferred to Stanton, where he graduated in the 1946 class of 44 students.  In July 2020 at the class reunion, he was one of four students from that class still living.  During his high school years, World War II was being fought and consequently most of the sports activities were canceled.  Clay played basketball for Stanton, but the games were mostly between teams from the school.  If they were fortunate, once or twice a year parents from a nearby community would bring kids over and the two schools would have a basketball game or maybe a football game.  After school, Clay joined the United States Marine Corp and served his country for 2 years, seeing duty mostly in Japan and China.  The primary responsibility of his unit was to guard the supply lines to military bases in China, but when communism took over China, all bases were closed and troops were sent back to the United States.  Clay was honorably discharged in 1947 and he returned to Lenorah where he briefly farmed with his family until he entered then Abilene Christian College for a short time.

In 1948 Clay moved to Midland, TX and went to work for the U.S. Post Office in their finance department.  At the time, Midland had a population of approximately 14,000. As the oil and gas industry became dominant in the Permian Basin, Clay went to work for Argo Oil, eventually becoming the district office Production Manager.  While living in Midland, Clay met Margaret Duff through a mutual friend, and they were married on January 14, 1951.  While in Midland, their first child, Mark, was born in 1954, but died as an infant.  Their second son, Scott, was born in 1957 and in 1962 they were blessed with a daughter, Janice.  Clay continued working in the oil industry until 1962 when he decided to become a full-time minister for the churches of Christ.  He preached full-time until 1975, but has continued to preach as a fill-in minister at times and teach Bible classes well into his 80’s.  Teaching God’s word was his passion.

When the Mims left Midland in 1963 they moved to Seminole where Clay had his first preaching position.  Next the family lived in Lampasas, TX,  Idalou, TX and finally Waco, TX where Clay retired from full-time preaching.  From Waco, everyone but Scott, who left for college, moved to Snyder for a year and then to Wichita Falls, TX in 1976 where Clay became an investment broker.

In addition to his full-time work in the investment business, Clay and Margaret continued to worship and work first with the Lincoln Street Church of Christ and then later with the Faith Village Church of Christ, both in Wichita Falls, TX.  Clay lost the love of his life, Margaret, in 2003.  After her passing, Clay stayed in Wichita Falls until 2005 when he decided to move back to Midland to be closer to Scott and his family as well as other extended family.

Clay’s best memories were farm living and enjoying farm grown foods.  He also loved riding horses, hunting, fishing and golfing.  Although he adapted to city life, his first love has always been the country life and although it never worked out, he always had a desire to one day return to rural living.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”  2 Timothy 4:7-8 NASB

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the New Mexico Children’s Home, 1356 New Mexico 256, Portales, NM 88130 or Bear Valley Bible institute, 2707 S. Larmar Street, Denver, CO  80227.

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