Ruth Nixon Norman

Mrs. Ruth Nixon Norman, life-long resident of Mountain Park, NC, passed away Tues., Sept. 15 at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 20 at Mountain Park Baptist Church, led by Dr. Carl Childs and the Rev. Russell Nixon. The family will greet friends immediately following the Service. Mrs. Norman was born July 15, 1922 to Rufus Hoyle and Ima Issacs Nixon. She was sister to Rufus Adrian Nixon, deceased, and Frances Nixon Bovender of Winston-Salem, NC. After graduating from Mountain Park High School, Ruth attended Appalachian State University from which she received a degree in elementary education in 1944. She was an excellent teacher, touching the lives of many children at Mountain Park Elementary School for 25 years and Dobson Elementary for ten years. She received the honor of Teacher of the Year in both schools. In her retirement, she was recognized wherever she went by former students who loved and respected her. A charter member of the Surry County Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Mrs. Norman held numerous offices, including that of president. She served her community through the Red Cross, the Mental Health Association, the Heart Fund, and Mountain Park School. She attended Mountain Park Baptist Church all her life and served in many capacities, including Sunday School teacher. On April 14, 1945, Ruth became the bride of Ray Edison Norman, Sr. They lived in the Norman family home in Mountain Park and were blessed with three children: Joe (Vicki) of Jamestown, NC; Joyce (Ellis) Hamby of Yadkinville, NC; and Ray, Jr., whom she nicknamed Buzz, (Robin) of Mountain Park. Ray passed away May 1, 1968.She was a loving and proud Grandmother to Joseph (Kelly) and Ben (Melissa) Norman; Beth Hamby Charles (Chris) and Matthew (Anna) Hamby; Jonathan, Nicholas, Adrianna Ruth, Lillie, and Noah Norman. She was Great-Grandmother to Thomas Norman and Alexander Charles and was delighted that two others would soon be added to her family. Ruth's family included her nieces Johanna B. (Len) Aiken and their son Lucas and Judy B. (Jim) Davis and their children Laura and Max. The family expresses appreciation for the loving care Ruth received from the staff of Hugh Chatham Nursing Center in Elkin, NC, where she lived for the past two years. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Men's Ministry of Mountain Park Baptist Church, 358 Zephyr-Mountain Park Road, State Road, NC 28676. Moody-Davis Funeral Service is serving the Norman family.