Ralph Odell Norman Jr.

Services for Ralph Odell Norman, Jr., 74, will be held at 11:00am, Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at First Presbyterian Church, 5520 Kingwood Dr., Kingwood, Texas. Burial will be held later that day in Boontown Cemetery in Groveton, Texas.

The family will receive friends at a visitation from 6:00-8:00pm, Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at Kingwood Funeral Home, 22800 HWY 59 N., Kingwood, Texas.

Ralph Odell Norman, Jr. passed away peacefully in his home with his family at his side on the evening of Friday, March 24, 2023. During his long battle with pancreatic cancer and his brief stay in home hospice, he was attended by his high school sweetheart and wife of 52 years, Bonnie Gale Norman. Ralph is survived by his children, Jennifer Erb and her husband Chad, Matthew Norman and his wife Kate, J.P. Norman and his wife Sarah; grandchildren, Benjamin and Anna Erb, Harper, Wyatt, and Hawk Norman, and Luke and Mark Norman; his mother, Maxie Norman; brothers, Bill and Edward Norman; brother-in-law, Mike Fleming; along with numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Ralph was born in Houston and grew up in a time when date nights were movies downtown at the Majestic, Metropolitan, and Lowe’s theaters. Ralph enjoyed attending Colt 45 games at Colt Stadium, loved watching the construction of the Astrodome, and then cheering for the new baseball team in town, the Houston Astros. He enjoyed road trips to Galveston with a surfboard strapped to his mom’s station wagon and playing baseball all summer long!

Ralph attended Aldine schools and graduated from Aldine High School. He graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching in 1971, completing his Masters from Sam Houston State in 1976. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity (where Bonnie was a Golden Heart); his fraternity brothers were very dear to him. Ralph’s dedication to the Aldine School district led him to teach at Carver High School and serve as a counselor at Eisenhower High School, Assistant Principal at Carver, founding Principal of the newly formed Aldine Contemporary Education Center, and then Principal at Aldine Sr. High School. He also served in the Finance Department at the Aldine Central Office.

Ralph grew up attending Airline Methodist in Aldine and married Bonnie at Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church in Spring where he was ordained an Elder. They worshipped and served as a family for 25 years. They later became members of Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church and have recently been loved and supported by First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood. Ralph’s love for God and for his neighbor was evident in every aspect of his life.

From band concerts, baseball and football games, to family vacations to the Texas Hill Country, Ralph’s family life was full of laughter, silly stories, and joy. Ralph always encouraged and supported his children and grandchildren in everything they did and was so proud of them. He loved and received his daughters-in-law and son-in-law as his own. Ralph was always ready with a joke, a prank, or a tall tale, and he passed that gene on to his children and grandchildren.

Ralph loved anything he could fix, from old broken-down cars to household items—why hire a professional when you can spend twice as much doing it yourself? He rarely caught anything, but Ralph loved fishing just for the opportunity to be in nature, casting a line whether it was in a pond, a fishing tank in Buckholts, Texas, or the Gulf of Mexico.

Ralph was a champion of the underdog—always there to support anyone in need, especially kids, and he went out of his way to make everyone feel important. He had a special place in his heart for disadvantaged kids. Ralph was a role model for his children and for all who knew him. Ralph loved all and was loved by all in return.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the following: Aldine Education Foundation or Texas Children’s Hospital. (Links below)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kingwoodfuneralhome.com for the Norman Jr. family.