Nancy Janelle Love Bales

Nancy Janelle Love Bales, 86, of Devine, Texas, passed away September 12, 2026. Nancy was born on December 31, 1939 in Round Rock, Tx. to Clyde Milton and Carrie Mae Bingham Love. She attended Sharp Schools, in Sharp, Tx. On September 1, 1957, she married Larry Dean Bales. They were married for 56 wonderful years. Larry passed away in 2013. Nancy was a devoted mother of two sons Layne and Mitchell and one daughter Kimberley. She was involved with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts with all three of her children. Nancy was also a room mother at school. She attended all sporting events and activities of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nancy was a mother figure to all the children in the neighborhood, and many still call her mom. She worked as an Activity Director in a nursing home in Devine and then went to college to earn her Administrator's License, she ran nursing homes in Pearsall and Pleasanton. After she retired and began keeping her granddaughter Libby and running the other 3 grandchildren around, she joined a couple of bowling leagues in San Antonio. Nancy and Larry traveled all over the country bowling. Once the grandchildren were older, she began to work at The Devine News and enjoyed many years working with the ladies that she called family. Nancy was one of 12 children, 7 sisters and 5 brothers. As adults, the sisters would get together for a sister's weekend, they enjoyed many years of traveling, laughing, and sharing stories. She is survived by her son, Layne and wife Nadine Bales of Lytle and daughter Kimberley Bales of Devine, 6 grandchildren Lauren (Bales) Haass and husband Randolph, of Biry, TX, Colton Bales of Woodinville, WA, Leslie (Bales) Raymond and husband Aubrey of Surprise, AZ, Elizabeth (Libby) Bales of San Antonio, TX, Lillie and Max Bales of Hondo, TX. Along with 4 great-grandchildren, Elaine Haass, Eleanor Raymond, Abigail Raymond, and Randolph Haass. Nancy was also survived by sisters Dottie "Sissie" Stevenson and Karen "Susie" Dixon and husband Bill, her brothers Leon Love and wife Coty and Lynn "Buster" Love and brothers-in-law Bob Merritt and Paul "Krutch" Kruse. Sisters-in-law Kathryn Shelton, and Linda Jarvis and husband Louis, along with many, many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her father-in-law Derwood and mother-in-law Willie Bales, her husband Larry D. and son Mitchell Bales, her sisters Bobbye Ruth and husband Joe Runnels, Florene "Rene" and J.D. Acord, Wanda Elaine "Sookie" Merritt and Judi Kruse. Brothers Jimmie and wife Barbara Love, Dennis Love and Bryan Neal Love, brothers-in-law Martin Stevenson and Thomas Hickey. Sisters-in-law Frances (Bales) Walker and husband Cliff Walker. Memorial to be held October 24, 2026, at 11:00 am at Friendship Fellowship Hall 9723 FM 1915, Buckholts, TX 76518.