Nell Colby
Nell Colby of Ringgold, passed away unexpectedly from a brief illness on March 31, 2025.
She was born Mary Nell Harper from Lupton City, Tn., to the late Homer and Pearl (Skaggs) Harper.
She was the youngest of six sisters and was a graduate of Chattanooga Central High School. She was known for her beauty, grace, grit and independence, and as she grew older, she never lost those traits. She was an avid Big Brother fan and sports fan who loved watching tennis, basketball, football, soccer and volleyball. She enjoyed line dancing and ballroom dancing with friends in Florida where she lived for 14 years. She loved a beautiful sunset and enjoyed taking drives through Dunlap and Fall Creek Falls when the leaves began to change colors. She took pride in her appearance and being successful in all the jobs she held. Her greatest accomplishment was being a granny and great granny to so many who were not her own but she claimed them. She was a force to be reckoned with and loved by all. In her final years she enjoyed watching her great granddaughter play school and club volleyball and became her biggest cheerleader on the sidelines. She is dearly missed, and her absence is felt immensely.
She was preceded in death by her son, Steven Colby; sister(s), Rethel White, Ruth Riley, Mildred “Sue” Hicks, Dorothy “Dot” Holder; niece, Pamela “Pam” Oakey; nephews, Greg Miller and Mike Morphis.
Nell is survived by her daughter, Nicole DeGalleford of Frisco, Tx.; granddaughter, Erika Colby, spouse, Tye Dobbins and great granddaughter Rylie Blevins of Ringgold; sister, Gladys “Louise” Miller of Chattanooga; niece, Debra Cornell of Boca Raton; nephew, William “Bill” Holder of Jacksonville, Fl.; great nieces & nephews, Carmen Kass and family of Temecula, Ca., Melissa Bradshaw and family of Mufreesboro, Matthew Hopkins and family of Boynton Beach, Fl., Jordan Hopkins and family of Palm Bay, Fl.; special family friends: Lisa and Lebron Durham, Whitney (Jonathan) Miller, and her many friends in Texas and Florida.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date.