Nina Peysen
Nina was born Nov. 2, 1933, in Vernon, to Roscoe Marion Leffingwell and Thelma Louise (Givens) Leffingwell. She married Frankie Joe Sears on Aug. 31, 1950. Together they had three children. Nina and Frank owned Frank Sears Construction Co. Raising the children they so loved and running their own company was their dream. Frank passed away May 14, 1989. On Oct. 30, 1993, Nina was blessed to be married to a second man who loved her dearly. On Oct. 30, 1993, in Windthorst, she married Raymond B. Peysen and they lived in Buffalo Springs for a number of years until their move to Windthorst. They were blissfully married and totally devoted to each other, until his death, May 13, 2008. In August of 2018, Nina moved to Royal Estates to retire from life’s little headaches. No longer cooking, no house to maintain gave her all the time she wanted to watch her favorite television shows, go to dinners and movies with her great-grandchildren, play her favorite games of Forty-two and Chickenfoot, and whatever else her heart desired! Nina was a social butterfly who grew and blossomed there as she enriched the lives of the other residents along her way!
Nina began working in the late 1950’s as a sales clerk at McClurkan’s in Parker Square, continuing for 17 years. She worked for several years for Woodco before finding a position in a large law firm. Many of Sherrill and Pace clients will remember Nina as the sweet, always smiling, and very efficient, receptionist. She remained with her beloved friends and employers there until she retired in 1997. Her retirement freed up her time to learn more about the Bible and its characters, including her Lord and Savior.
During this time, she studied and became a certified lay speaker for the United Methodist Church in Vashti. Nina was a lay speaker in her own church and many others for 9nine years and was a delegate to the United Methodist Annual Conference for five years. Eventually she transferred her membership to the 1st United Methodist Church in Archer City,where she taught the Emmanuel Sunday School Class and her desire to speak publicly about her Lord grew.
Always active, Nina had affiliations in the following groups: Women in Construction of W.F., Legal Secretaries Assoc., Coyote Mother’s Club, WFHS Booster Club, the O-Well Bowling team, the Sherrill & Pace Bowling Gang, Archer City’s 1st United Methodist Church’s Golden Girls, Windthorst and Scotland VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 2676, the Windthorst Senior Citizens Tuesday Group, and her cherished membership in the Major Francis Grice Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a true American and loved its rich history.
Nina passed on to her next adventure….
Nina was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her oldest granddaughter, Jennifer McAfee Derzapf, grandson, Christopher Moore, brothers, Murray (Lefty)Leffingwell and wife Louise, Kenneth (Bud) Leffingwell, and her sister, Wanda Brookins.
She is survived by her three children and spouse, Connie Johnson (Randolph), Carla Sears, and Frankie Joe Sears, Jr., and the mother of her precious grandchildren, Ryan & Melanie, Mercy Sears, who was like a daughter to her. Step-children (by Ray Peysen), Arlene Hogan, Elaine Schalbs (Pat), and John Peysen (Rhonda) all of Wichita Falls, and Ray Anthony Peysen (Jackie) of Aledo, all their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren which she loved dearly.
Grandchildren: William Dudley McAfee, Jr. (Karie) of Lewisville, Jacob C. Johnson, J. Gregory Johnson (Heather), Ryan Sears, Melanie Sears, all of Wichita Falls, Christopher Chance Moore, Vincent (Vinny) Moore, both from Dallas.
Great-grandchildren: Gage McAfee, Andrew Derzapf, Jenna Beth Derzapf, Ben McAfee, Kaela McAfee, Sam McAfee, Eli Johnson, Joy Johnson, Sameh Johnson, Lailah Johnson, Eve Johnson, and Shepherd Johnson, plus her step-grandsons thru Dudley McAfee, Jr., Jordan Lewis and Paxton Lewis, Jacob Carr, Benjamin Carr, and Gavin Yancey.
Nina had a great many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews whom she stayed in contact with and loved deeply as well. Her last remaining cousin, so beloved, Jack Hamilton from Delta, Colo. and his brother, Jim, (pre-deceased Nina last April) and their families.
Nina had a heart attack May 1, 2020, while living at the House of Hope. Several more heart attacks followed and she became more dependent on nursing care.
All three of her children were able to spend her last few days with her. She passed on to Glory on Tuesday, Sept. 29. Nina smiled broadly as she breathed her last breath being held by her daughter, Carla, and present also, was her son, Frankie.
There was a private interment for her with only the immediate family Wednesday. A Celebration of her life will be the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 28. Please call or text Connie by Nov. 21, at (940)-733-9695.
***Because of the covid issue we ask you to call and schedule an appointment for this event so we can control the number of visitors at one time.
