Nowell Darden Nelms, Jr.

My loving husband, Nowell Darden Nelms, Jr. 82 from Newport News, VA passed on July 30, 2022, at 5:50 a.m. with his wife, children and their spouses by his side. He was the son of Virginia Belle Newsome McKinney and Nowell Darden Nelms. His stepmother Dorothy White Nelms also predeceased him as well as his brother Robert Edwin Nelms. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ann Jacqueline Veneris Nelms; son Nowell Darden Nelms, III (wife Choul Hee Nelms) and grandson Nowell Darden Nelms, IV.; daughter Stephanie Gail Hrehor (husband Donald John Hrehor) and granddaughter Alexis Ann Nelms, grandson Christopher Dakota Hrehor, granddaughter Morgan Mackenzie Nobbe, and grandson Ethan Nathanial Nobbe. Also, his brother Chandler Clinton Nelms (wife Emily Nelms) and sister-in-law Debbie Nelms as well as many nieces and nephews.

Darden graduated from Hampton High School in 1958, Virginia Military Institute in 1962 and took graduate courses at the University of Virginia. He went to work for the Office of Naval Investigative Service (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) in 1966. He was stationed in Norfolk, VA; Bainbridge, MD; Vietnam; Sasebo, Japan; Virginia Beach, VA; Adak, AK and Annapolis, MD. He then went to work for Defense Investigative Service and retired from the Office of The Inspector General in 1990. He briefly had his own Private Investigation Office until his wife retired in 1994.

While in Annapolis, MD he was an avid sailboat racer and was President of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association. After retirement he was involved with the Florida Shuffleboard Association where he managed the record keeping and yearly publishing of the shuffleboard magazine. He was inducted into the Florida Shuffleboard Hall of Fame in 2009.

He was also instrumental in laboriously researching records to support the Vietnam group of NCIS to receive veterans' status. Darden was a disabled veteran. He got together with the group often and enjoyed all the NCIS agents that made up this group over the years.

He had many friends and enjoyed staying in contact with them throughout his life.

Donations may be made to the Lymphoma Leukemia Association, Emory Winship Hospital or a charity of your choice.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.