Mary Elizabeth Norris was born on Sunday, July 11, 1937.  She was the youngest of 3 children born to Ernest and Josie Croxon.  Mary grew up in Englewood, Florida, on the Gulf Coast where she spent an enormous amount of time on the beach.  She graduated from Venice High School as Valedictorian (she was one smart cookie) in 1955.  Fun fact - while in high school she was a cheerleader and was a contortionist and trapeze artist in the local circus.

Mary was married in September of 1955 to Edward L. Norris. They had 4 children, Donald, Susie, Mark, and Linda.  Mary and Ed were married for 59 years before Ed’s passing in 2014.

Ed being in the Air Force for 21 years, required them to move often to many different places.  After the wedding, Mary and Ed left for New Mexico where he had been stationed. Donnie was born while they lived there (surprise!).  From New Mexico Ed was stationed in Florida where Susie was born (surprise!!).  Ed was then stationed in Turkey for a year and a half while Mary and the 2 children stayed behind in Florida. He was then assigned to the Pentagon, but they lived in Virginia.  Mark and Linda were born there (surprise!!! surprise!!!!).  Okinawa was the next 4-year assignment.  Ed had to leave before the family could so Mary had to handle all aspects of moving, everyone’s immunizations (with all the side effects that go along), passports and then travel to another country with 4 children, ages 2-11.  Mary was only 30 years old and had never flown! Next, they were stationed in Wichita Falls, Texas. While there Ed was sent to Thailand for 1-year.   Upon his return they were stationed in Del Rio, Texas.  They were only there 9 months when they decided it was time to retire.  Having driven through East Texas traveling from Florida to New Mexico early in their marriage and camping at Tyler State Park a few times, they decided to retire in Tyler because they loved the area. And lived there for the rest of their lives. 

Mary had several occupations throughout her life.  As a teenager, she was a “soda jerk” at the corner drug store.  As an adult, she was a civilian Executive Secretary to a General in the Army, a secretary for a Ford dealership, and an Executive Secretary at Carrier Air Conditioning.  After retirement she was a Reading Lab teacher and a caregiver for several individuals for many years.  In her late seventies she would still say she took care of old people… because she forgot how old she was!

Mary was a wonderful cook, always had a huge garden (even when working full time), was an incredible seamstress, and always had a good book she was reading.  There was nothing she wouldn’t try. Whether swinging on a rope or jumping from a cliff into the water (last time at 74 years of age and she was the first one in), she was fearless. She was known for her all in, head back, belly laugh that you could recognize in a crowd.  She was kind, generous, and loved the Lord above all else and wanted to share Him with anyone that would listen.  From day one all her children knew that Jesus loved them.  She modeled what having a true relationship with Christ looked like.

Soon after Ed passed Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia.  She fought the fight, ran the race, kept the faith and completed her journey on earth when Jesus called her home on September 1, 2021 at the age of 84.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, sister, her son, Donald Norris, and her loving husband, Edward Norris. 

Family left to celebrate her life are:

Children and spouses - Susie and Mark Stevenson, Mark and Debi Norris, Linda and Steve Walker Grandchildren – Micah Bierig, Samuel Bierig, Heath Walker, Seth Walker, Andrea Pierce, Austin Norris, Jacob Walker, Erika Spiers, Jesse Walker, Jenny Parrish, and Rachael Norris and great-grandchildren – 13 and 2 on the way.  And a host of friends she and Ed met along the way.