I'm so sorry to hear of the passing of Norma Lee, my mom was Julia Margret, who just passed away on October 29 of this year. They were first cousins, along with my moms sister Betty who passed away in august of this year. I just got the phone call from Nuwana daughter about your Mom. I'm so sorry and May who hold the memories of her close to your heart. Your Mom was very sweet and will be missed by many. Tina Beekman

I first met /talked with your mother/grandmother in August 1968. She was the new secretary at Wayne Elementary which at that time was not built yet. She told me where to report for work (I was going to be the 4th grade teacher) and where the staff would meet for our first meeting. The office was in Lindberg Elementary, and my classroom would be at Binns Elementary until the building was completed.  We became fast friends, and although in recent years I didn't see or talk with her much. But when we did,  it was like we saw/talked with each other all the time.

While I was at Wayne (for 3 years before moving to our farm in Mechanicsburg, OH) she and I bowled on the same team. First downtown and then at Grove City.  I would drive to the house on the Hilltop, and we would ride together to the Bowling Alley. We had a great time doing this, and I got to meet and love Dick, Terry (who was in high school) and her mother Effie.They all always made me feel welcome to their home.

Norma was thrilled that Dick and his Dad were building a house out on Opposum Run Road.  She would point out that his dad found a heart shaped rock that was included in the middle of her fireplace.

While I was recuperating from a serious illness in the winter of 2005, she invited me to have lunch with some of the retired personnel from Columbus Public Schools that met once a month. Since I was not yet retired, I had someone take me to the lunches. But when I was well enough to go back to teaching in the following fall, I could no longer go to them.

The last time that a group from Wayne, got together it was a luncheon for her birthday at Sharon Pennell's house, probably for her 80th birthday.  What a great time (there was probably 10 or so there) we all had, telling school stories and sometimes laughing until we cried.  It was a wonderful time.

The last time I saw her we met for lunch at Bob Evans in London after she had been to her weekly trip to Madison Co. Hospital. Again we sat there doing more talking and laughing than really eating much.

About 6 month or so ago, I called her to see it she wanted to meet me on a Tuesday, her hospital day, once again for lunch.  But she was very busy, and her friends from Maine were coming.  She said she would call me when things settled down. Never got that phone call.  What is really strange is that lately I had been thinking about her, and that we should really get together soon.  I knew that she had not been well for a long time, but she always seemed to have a positive outlook. SO I never saw or talked with her again.  That makes me very sad.  She was a wonderful wonderful person.

I did not see the obituary in the Dispatch until Tuesday of this week so missed the Memorial Service last Sunday. I would have loved to have been there to meet the rest of her family.  I never heard her call her older son anything but Mickie (I even know the story of how he got the nickname even before he was born.)

If you decide to have any kind of auction, please let me know as I would like to have a memento. I know that Norma touched in a positive way the lives of many teachers, and children. I am so sorry for your loss.

Marian Eberhard
3644 Mechanicsburg Sanford Rd.
Mechanics burg, OH 43044
Home Phone: 740-857-1371
Cell Phone: 614-214-1734

Heartfelt condolences to the entire Gray family.

God Bless,

David and Stephanie Spencer and Family

Your friends from Ryan Homes purchased the Dish Gardens for the family of Norma Lee Gray.

Fireside Basket - Blue, Yellow and White was purchased for the family of Norma Lee Gray.

OBITUARY

Norma Lee Gray

July 30, 1929 – November 22, 2016

Schoedinger Midtown

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