Norma Gray

Norma Elizabeth Gray, age 87, of Belle passed away Sunday, May 14, 2017 at Frene Valley South in Owensville.

Norma was born August 28, 1929, in Radcliff, OH, a daughter to the late Harry and Ruth (Zinn) Norton. From this union, fourteen children were born.

She was a 1947 graduate of Vinton High School in Ohio and was her class Salutatorian.

Norma was working in Ohio, when she met Austin D. Gray. They were united in marriage on June 11, 1949 in Welston, OH. He preceded her in death on January 29, 1996.

Norma had been a resident of the Belle area for 64 years. She worked at the International Shoe Factory for five years before taking time off to be a homemaker and to raise three children. After 13 years, she purchased a business and was the sole proprietor of Norma’s Dress Shop in Belle and Hermann. Over the years she grew the business from a ladies line to a clothing store for the entire family. She was a long time member of the First Christian Church of Belle and was very active, often decorating it year round, and a member of the Willing Workers Women’s Group. She was a member of the Belle Home Builders Association.

Norma enjoyed life to it’s fullest and was an outgoing person. She was a proud woman, strong in her strengths and traditions. She passed those traits onto her family. She was close to her community and even closer to her younger sister, Grace. Being the center of the family, Norma loved spending time with them and was not afraid to be stern when setting down rules. One of her favorite sayings was, “don’t make me crawl up on your eyebrow.” She enjoyed flowers of all kinds, gardening, quilting, cooking, baking, cleaning, ceramics, sewing, embroidering, playing Yahtzee with anyone who wanted to play, and shooting hoops with the grandchildren. Norma’s home was open to anyone who came by and was known as “Grandma” to many. She will be missed greatly by all those that knew and loved her. She touched many lives.

Norma is survived by: two daughters, Gloria Scherf and her husband Ed of Loose Creek and Vicki Nelson and her husband Tom of Belle; six grandchildren, Nicole Mapstone and her husband Michael of Lilburn, GA, Erica Michell and her husband Greg of Atlanta, GA, Michele Barbarick and her husband Vaughn of Linn, Shannon Nelson and his wife Lisa of Belle, Joshua Gray of Belle, and Jacob Gray of Dallas, TX; eleven great-grandchildren, Dillon Mapstone, Jack Mapstone, Ezabell Michell, Gracie Michell, Chase Barbarick, Arin Barbarick, Drake Nelson, Deegan Nelson, Ellie Gray, Drew Baumgartner, and Shane Baumgartner; four brothers, Clyde Norton, Earl Norton, John Norton, and Lanny Norton all of Ohio; and one sister, Grace Rollins of St. Louis as well as many extended family members and friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, Norma is preceded in death by one son, Pete Gray who passed away on June 26, 1998; one sister, Leah Norton; and seven brothers, Robert, Amos, Ray, Herb, Leland, Harry, and Willis Norton.

Visitation for Norma will be held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at the First Christian Church in Belle.

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 19, 2017 at the First Christian Church in Belle with Mitchell Seaton officiating. Interment will follow in the Liberty Cemetery near Belle.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, Expressions of sympathy may be made to the First Christian Church Willing Workers.