Norma Springer's Obituary
Norma Mildred Freeman, Rich, Giles, Springer aka “ Mego” 95 ½ years old of Garland, TX died softly in her sleep Monday, July 11, 2016 born January 30, 1921, in the Caddo Hills of Oklahoma, as the 12th child of Elisha Kimsey Freeman and Minnie R. Barker Freeman. She walked three miles to a one-room elementary school, “uphill both ways” and later it was three miles the other direction for high school. She graduated from Caddo High School and went to business school in Oklahoma City. She married Otis Charles Rich in 1941 and followed him to Army bases until he left to serve in Germany and she stayed behind in Jackson, MS, with their first child. When Otis returned at the end of the war they moved to the northwest. They lost nearly everything in the Vanport, OR, flood of 1948. Vanport was the 2nd largest city in Oregon and it vanished in a day. Otis was concerned about the dike breaking, even though authorities told residents they didn’t have anything to fear. He had Norma go home to her parents in Caddo, OK, with their two young children. Otis packed some things in his car to be ready. The day of the flood, he and a neighbor couple got in his car to check out the dam and while there it began to break. They rushed back to warn residents and managed to get out themselves. The family then moved to Longview, WA, where their third child was born, and later settled west of Portland, Oregon, in Wood Village, where they lived for 13 years. In 1959, Norma married Arthur Preston Giles in Lubbock, Texas. They lost an infant son and then had a daughter. After Preston’s death in 1962, Norma married James Eugene Springer in 1963. They lost an infant daughter. They moved to Garland, Texas in 1967, after a brief time in Grand Junction, Colorado. Norma loved to play Scrabble, Dominos and a mean game of 42. She is preceded in death by her parents, her 11 brothers and sisters, her 3 husbands, infant son Giles, infant daughter Norma Jean Springer, great-grandson Jeffrey Hart, granddaughter Trisha Marie Welch, and grandson John Eric Graves. She leaves behind daughters Sharlyn Rosetta Garoutte and her husband Mark of Abilene, TX, Ida Lorraine Hart and her husband Charles of Lindale, TX, Martha Billie Beaurilla Rich of Dallas, TX and Grace Ann Giles of Garland, TX, 14 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 22 great-great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Family will receive friends for viewing on Thursday, July 21, 2016, from 9:00am to 10:00am at Restland Funeral Home, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243, with graveside service immediately following. Memorial service will be held the same morning at 11:00am at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1200 N. Shiloh Rd, Garland, TX 75042 with Reception to follow service http://www.sbecg.org/ Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243.
What’s your fondest memory of Norma?
What’s a lesson you learned from Norma?
Share a story where Norma's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Norma you’ll never forget.
How did Norma make you smile?