Norma Jim Gist

Born Oct. 8, 1939, in Falfurrias, Norma was a proud Texan through-and-through and was honored to have become a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Following graduation from Falfurrias High School, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business from Texas A&I University where she was a member of Beta Gamma sorority and began working at Tenneco Oil Co. in Houston. While living in Houston, she met her loving husband of 57 years, Al. They married in 1965 and made their home in Friendswood where they raised their two daughters, Lee Ann and Cathy. Norma was an inspirational and devoted mother and was actively involved in her daughters’ activities where she was the Troop Leader for their Girl Scouts activities, drill team director, and countless softball games, swim team meets, dance recitals and twirling competitions. In 1981, Norma returned to work as a teacher’s aide in the Friendswood Independent School District. While working, she earned her Master of Education degree from the University of Houston and then became a beloved teacher of computer literacy to hundreds of seventh grade students.

After Norma retired, she and Al moved to Talihina, Oklahoma, and began the A&N Ranch in 1999 – this was a completely new adventure for both of them in every respect. Raising cattle and enjoying all the birds and outdoor critters was their joy. While Al did much of the ranch work, Norma mastered her quilting skills, substituted for teachers in the local schools, and became an avid researcher in her family’s genealogy. She was proud to have identified four family patriots and became a registered descendant in the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2013, later serving as her chapter’s registrar.

Norma and Al enjoyed visiting new places and traveled to London and Ireland with their daughters as well as seeing numerous national and state parks, most notably Mt. Rushmore. To celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Norma and Al traveled with Cathy across Australia where she especially enjoyed seeing Ayers Rock, the koala bears on Kangaroo Island, and the brilliant opals, her favorite gemstone.

Norma and Al returned to Texas in 2021 and she was excited to be back home in the Lone Star state. Norma is preceded in death by her parents, Joe Ollie and Onalee (Warner) Norris, her daughter Lee Ann, and her brothers and sister, Joe, Frank, and Nancy. She is survived by her devoted husband, Al, and her loving daughter, Cathy, along with numerous friends, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council or The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University where Norma and Al established two Aggie Ring scholarships in memory and honor of their daughters to help deserving Aggies obtain their Rings.

Donations to the Aggie Ring Scholarship Fund can be made at: tx.ag/NormaGist