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Nicholas Mark Sowders, 33, of Beaumont, Tx, passed away on February 6, 2023.

Funeral services will be 10:00am, February 17, 2023, at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica. Officiating will be Reverends Shane Baxter of St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica in Beaumont, Tx.

Visitation will be from 5:00pm-7:00PM, February 16, 2023, with a Rosary at 6:15pm, at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont, Tx.

Immediately following his funeral a gathering will be held at Madison’s on Dowlen in Beaumont, one of his favorite hangouts, where he’d often chill with his canine child, Rooster, who will probably be present.

Nicholas Mark Sowders was born in Beaumont and a graduate of Evadale High School, Class of 2007. He excelled at Lamar Institute of Technology whereas he contributed to achieving award recognition at state and national levels in the SkillsUSA welding competition.

Nick loved welding, not only as a profession, but also as a hobby and always had a variety of projects going on. He equally loved his dog, the gigantic brindle affectionately known as Rooster. When Nick started welding, nothing could stop him, he was in his element and people looked up to him professionally and during his time as an Instructor for LIT. He always had a captivating story to tell, and you couldn’t help but be drawn into his passion and ambition.

Nick was well rounded and could work on cars as well as design and build practically anything. Nick proudly served in the Navy and had an active life. His love for his siblings was very evident, and possibly even more so for his various grandparents. May it be sharing looking under the hood of a Mustang or out fishing, Nick loved and admired his grandfathers, and received abundant love from his grandmothers.

He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Paul Leger; grandmother, Liz Leger; and grandfather Billy Sowders.

Surviving family include his mother Deanna Leger Woods; father Mark Sowders; sisters Victoria Sowders Taylor and Rebekah Woods; and brothers Matthew Sowders and Gabriel Woods; and grandmother, Kathryn Sowders.

Serving as pallbearers will be Jason Leger, Sam Christian, Joseph Leger, Tim Rone, Mike Andrie, Doyle Morse.

A scholarship has been started at LIT in Nick’s name. For details or donatations, please contact the LIT Foundation at Scholarships@LIT.edu

As the students he taught, he’d be proud to see others continuing to learn welding “the right way” and continuing to build SE Texas.