Nathan Miller "Nate" Kimes

Nathan (Nate) Miller Kimes age 86, died at St. Joseph Hospital on August 21, 2014. He was born January 29, 1928, the son of Bill and Bessie Lorena Kimes in Shamrock, Texas. The family returned to Arkansas where both sets of grandparents and many aunts, uncles and cousins lived. When Nate was about four years old, he and his parents and two uncles moved to New Mexico. His father worked in timber at a lumber camp near Espanola. Nate had many fond memories of adventures in the mountains, such as picking wild strawberries, making snow ice cream, and seeing a mountain lion. The family also lived in Arvin, California, before returning to Arkansas. Nate graduated from North Little Rock High School in May, 1946. He excelled in football, track and basketball. His grades were excellent and he was in the National Honor Society. Nate enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in his senior year in high school. He was sent to the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar, San Diego. Later he was at El Toro, California. He was very proud of being a Marine, and proud to be a World War II veteran. Although he didn 't see action in Europe or the Pacific, he did see action during training. A recruit dropped a live grenade in the foxhole where Nate and three other Marines were standing. Nate picked up the grenade and threw it out before it exploded. After his discharge from the Marines, Nate attended LSU at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had an athletic scholarship for football, but dropped out after a knee injury. A night job at The State Times Morning Advocate and the G.I. Bill covered his college expenses. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in geography. Nate moved back to Arkansas and worked for his uncle in home construction, then moved to Houston. He worked for an accounting and auditing firm for several years and later for an oil driller. During part of this time he lived on a large motor-sailboat, named the Osprey, at Seabrook. He met Pat (Patricia Ann Parker) while he was living on the Osprey. They were married August 18, 1962. They lived on the Osprey while making a daily commute to Houston from the southeast. Then they bought ten acres of land near Waller, Texas and commuted to Houston from the northwest. Nate built a rustic two room cabin. They both went back to school, the University of Houston, to earn teaching certificates. This took a couple of years of working, night classes, and practice teaching. In 1965 they were hired by the Jefferson County, Colorado School District. Nate taught science classes at Arvada Junior High; Pat taught journalism and English at Lakewood High School. In 1966-1967 they returned to Texas and taught science and English at Waller Junior High. In 1967 they were hired by the Southern Humboldt Unified School District. Nate taught fourth through sixth grades at Whitethorn Elementary School for several years. Pat taught a year each at Piercy, Whitethorn, Casterlin, and then fourth grade at Redway for 20 years. Nate retired from teaching in 1972. Their home was in Miranda. He built campers for a succession of Chevy pickups, and the couple traveled throughout the western states and British Columbia. Green River Lakes in Wyoming and Mt. Saint Helens and Spirit Lake, before the volcano, are outstanding memories. Nate made yearly trips to Benton, Arkansas to visit his parents. Besides travel, his hobbies included fishing, tree climbing and cutting, gardening, watching NFL and college football, solving crossword puzzles and reading histories and mysteries. Nate is survived by his wife Pat and two nephews in Arkansas: Wayne Dove and Vernon Johnson. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Ioma Lou Kimes Johnson. In the early '90s Nate was diagnosed with PNH (Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria), a blood disorder that causes anemia. Blood transfusions became necessary by 2006. Starting in 2007, he began infusions ofa drug that controlled the PNH. He also had heart and lung problems in the last years of his life, ironic since he had been athletic from a young age. Special thanks are sent to the doctors, nurses and staff at Eureka Internal Medicine for his care over the years. Dr. Cory Spencer first diagnosed his condition. Later Dr. Uma Suryadevara took over his treatment. Dr. Beth Abels was his personal physician. Special thanks to "The Infusion Gang" at ElM, his second family: Sharon, Kathleen, Leaha, Ivy, Sandy, Marci, Jamie, Leslie, Leann, Nanette. Thanks also to the Ambulatory Infusion Service at St. Joseph Hospital for Nate's blood transfusions. Thank you to the people at SJH and at Hospice of Humboldt for their care and concern in his last days. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com and click on obits.