Horace Edward Norsworthy

Horace Edward Norsworthy, age 97, was born in Butts County, Georgia. He was the ninth of fourteen children born to Leary and Clyde McClure Norsworthy. He left school after the ninth grade to work and help support the family, working in the fields plowing mules. He played baseball and was recruited by Lawrence Turner, who would become his father-in-law, to play ball with the Ola team.

When World War II began he volunteered with the Navy and served four years, achieving the rank of Aircraft Machinist Mate First Class. While on leave in 1943 he married Evelyn Turner and they were married for 70 years when she died in January 2014. After the war they began to farm the land he bought in Ola with his Navy pay. He began farming with mules and then later a John Deere tractor. For many years he had a dairy with a herd of Holstein cows. After selling the dairy he raised cotton, soy beans and beef cattle.

Horace was baptized at nine years of age; after he married, he joined Turner United Methodist Church. He went early for many years on Sunday morning to build the fire in the wood stove to heat the church. He served in many other capacities including Sunday School Superintendent and Trustee and cut the grass at the church up until his early eighties. Horace enjoyed quail hunting and fishing. He did some rabbit hunting but that may have been just so he could have beagle hounds.

Horace was preceded in death by his wife Evelyn, his son-in-law, Charles Ellenberger and step grandsons Nat and Eric Horne; and several siblings. Survivors are his daughter, Edith Norsworthy Ellenberger, grandsons, Ben and Tom Ellenberger and Tom’s wife, Angelina and a great granddaughter, Adelaide Rose. He is also survived by his son, Tom Norsworthy and a daughter, Susan Norsworthy and her husband Dennis Horne; their daughter-in-law, Cassandra and a great granddaughter, Madison Horne; siblings, Esther N. Brannan, Lester Norsworthy and Lorene N. Hardy.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday evening from 6 – 8:00 PM. Funeral service will be on Thursday, December 17, 2015 – 3:00 PM at Turner United Methodist church with Rev. Leon Baxter and Rev. James Miller officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Turner United Methodist Church.