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Willie N. (Red) Nix
In Memory of
Willie N. (Red)
Nix
1919 - 2016
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Obituary for Willie N. (Red) Nix

Willie N. (Red)  Nix
Known throughout Waco as Mr. Ambold or Red, Willie Neal (“W.N.”) Nix, 97, of Waco, reunited with his beloved wife Frances LaVerne, Friday, December 9, 2016, on what would have been their 77th wedding anniversary in a final act of devotion and enduring love to his one and only.

In addition to joining his wife, Red, born the third youngest of six children on March 16, 1919, is both reminiscing and griping with his siblings, parents and many other aunts, uncles and cousins, all of whom preceded him in death.

He leaves behind a lasting legacy in his daughter, Martha Sue Libak, who he cherished as his only child until his son, James Neal Nix, arrived nine years later becoming the only boy in many generations. Ambold’s Key, Lock and Alarm, the business he inherited from the Abe Therrell, can easily be called his third child or pride and joy as it enters into its 140th year of continuous operation in downtown Waco where his son James and his wife Susan maintain the family tradition. Abe Therrell hired Red in 1936 as the first employee of his bicycle shop when he was able to repair his own bicycle from knowledge gained growing up on the farm. Abe hired him on the spot stealing him away from his first job with Postal Telegraph, Western Union’s competition. Expanding the business from bicycles to locks, Red became a charter member of the Texas Locksmith Association (TLA) by becoming the thirty-ninth member of which today there are about five thousand.

In reaching out to his many business friends and the local community, the family is comforted in knowing how deeply Red will be missed by all whether it be hearing him rant about something in his shop, talk about the good old days, make a key, fix a lock or tell you how the big box stores do not know keys and locks like him. Red was a respected father, grandfather, great-grandfather, a unique character, a proud Wacoan and a friend to many.

In addition to his children and daughter-in-law, Red leaves behind his grandson Neal Libak and his wife Sue; his granddaughter Kara Castro, her husband David, and their daughters Ashlyn and Kaitlyn; his grandson Matt Howell, his wife Natascha and their children Sophia, Sam, Bisco and Isaac; his granddaughter Heather Cain, her husband Adam, and their daughter Marley; and his granddaughter Alex Nix Vaughan, her husband Robert and their daughters Madrid and Margie.

In lieu of flowers and considering the holidays, please donate to Mission Waco, the Methodist Home, and Salvation Army as these were the charities Red supported and held dear throughout his life.

Visitation will be Monday, December 12th from 5 pm to 7 pm at Oakcrest Funeral Home. The funeral will be Tuesday, December 13th at 11am at Oakcrest Funeral Home with Jimmy Dorrell officiating. The burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the staff at Providence Hospice, which also accepts donations to help those unable to provide financially for their loved ones at the end of life, and Providence Hospital as they showed great compassion, respect and dignity to all, especially grandpa.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Willie N. (Red) Nix, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

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