Nimrod Joseph Melloul

Nimrod Melloul, 59, passed away peacefully during a nap on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in his family’s home in Houston, TX. He was born on January 24, 1966, in Karmiel, Israel, to Felix Melloul and Sara Miller. Nimrod always did things his own way, in his own unique style. Even in his final moments, he rested in his signature laid-back “European sit”—legs crossed, hands behind his head. He grew up in Karmiel as an only child. With his mother working two jobs, Nimrod learned to be independent from an early age. He developed strong discipline, managing his own routines—waking himself up for school, catching the bus, and even leading his cousins on beach adventures. He was known for being remarkably responsible and mature beyond his years, often befriending people much older than himself. Outside of school, Nimrod spent endless days body surfing at Kiryat Haim beach with his cousins Ronen, Yossi, and Suzy. He was also the star of his town's soccer team, playing “libero”—the main defensive position—where he took it upon himself to guard the toughest attackers. It was a reflection of his willingness to carry the heaviest responsibilities. In the small town, he had a lot of friends, and all the girls adored him—how could they not? He had an irresistible charm, sharp instincts, and wisdom beyond his years—everyone wanted to be around Nimrod. According to his cousins: “He was a king. King of the kindergarten, king of the class, king of the neighborhood. Nimrod was a boy who had it all.” At 18, Nimrod joined the IDF and became a commander at Bahad 4, the main recruit training base. He led through respect—valuing both giving and receiving it. True to his nature, he still found ways to have fun. One night, he and his friends “borrowed” a Jeep to sneak out to a party in a nearby city. They were caught and received detention, but the story became legendary. After his military service, Nimrod had the courage to do what many in his hometown only dreamed of—move to the United States. He started out working under his father as a sub-chef in Pennsylvania, later relocating with him to Houston. There, he met his first wife, Corinne Hazan, at a JCC singles event. They married and had two children, Dean and Emily. During that time, Nimrod began building his own sunglasses business, setting up kiosks in malls around Houston—an endeavor fueled by his risk-taking spirit and magnetic charisma. Later, he met Yudith in Willowbrook Mall. The story goes: he had run out of cleaning cloths for his sunglasses, walked into her eyeglass store—and the rest is history. Together, they had two sons, Ronen and Yair. Nimrod was devoted to leading his family to Friday night synagogue services at Beth Israel and always made it a point to attend the High Holidays. Shabbat dinner was sacred to him, and he never missed a chance to send a heartfelt “Shabbat Shalom” to his family in Israel. Professionally, Nimrod was a natural salesman. After sunglasses came door-to-door jewelry sales, and eventually car sales—his career for the past 16 years. His success came from confidence, persistence in the face of rejection, and an innate ability to connect and persuade—skills he had honed since childhood. At home, Nimrod loved to cook. His signature dishes were BBQ wings, sausage pasta, and perfectly scrambled eggs. He had a deep love for classic Westerns, especially Clint Eastwood films like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. His catchphrases were “How you doing?”, “Goooood morning!”, and “Alriiiighty then!”—always delivered with his signature energy. His favorite car was his classic BMW 8 Series from the 2000s. His words of wisdom were unforgettable: “Never be a sucker,” “Always do your homework,” and “Don’t be a sheep.” He loved his Tecova boots, custom watches, pub classic rock, and a Turkish coffee in the morning. Nimrod was truly one of a kind—a rare blend of intelligence, sensitivity, strength, and soul. He was loyal, honest, truth-seeking, and responsible. Thoughtful with his decisions and guidance, he never made a move without knowing the answers. To the very end, he lived life on his own terms, making deliberate decisions guided by deep inner conviction. His name, “Nimrod,” means “rebel” and “self-ruling will” in Hebrew—and indeed he was. He was a rebel who paved paths for others to see and learn from, and left a lasting impression on everyone lucky enough to know him. He is survived by his four children - Dean Melloul, Emily Melloul, Ronen Melloul and Yair Melloul - his brother Ethan Melloul, his father Felix Melloul, and his mother Sara Miller and his many cousins in Israel. A graveside service will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:30AM at Beth Israel Memorial Garden, 1101 Antoine Dr., Houston, TX 77055.

Nimrod Joseph Melloul

January 24, 1966 - June 3, 2025