Norman Houston Carver,91, was born August 19, 1933, at home in Cordova, Alabama, the youngest of six children to Ira Leslie Carver and Ethel Violet Odom Carver. His dad was a farmer and sometimes coal miner. Norman enjoyed a rural, active childhood of chores, hunting, and exploring the woods, especially with his brother Johnny. He walked several miles to school, including crossing a railroad trestle bridge. His sister carried their lunch in a pail, and he and his siblings sat under a tree where she doled out their biscuits and bacon, finishing off the meal with an apple.
During World War II, his older brothers served and Norman tried to sign up for the Korean war at age 16 but he was too baby faced to convince them so he had to wait until the day after he turned 18. He enlisted in the Air Force and he said the only time he ever saw his dad cry was when he found out Norman had signed up.
He was sent to England as a waist gunner on a B 29 airplane. His next post was in Wyoming, then he was transferred to Foster Air Force Base in Victoria, where he met and married Carol Turner. After leaving active service he took a job as a lab analyst at Union Carbide and they moved to Bloomington, where they raised Roger, Phyllis, Steven, and Lisa. He continued to be in the reserves for many more years. He and Carol loved going to annual 98th bomb group reunions.
Being a veteran meant a lot to him.
Norman became a State Farm agent in 1968. He retired at age 85 after 51 years of representing the company and caring for his clients. His secretaries, Connie, Ava, and Melissa were all so dear to him.
Norman loved the outdoors. He hunted and fished almost his entire life. As a young boy, he hunted squirrels and raccoons. As an adult, he kept his family well fed with fish, venison, and turkeys. He loved to include his children in his hunting and fishing activities also. Later in his life, his hunting partner was Carol. They would go to the lease in South Texas, stay in the Airstream, and ride around in the ATV.
He always had a large garden and made sure his children participated in maintaining and harvesting it. He and Carol had a large yard and he mowed it himself until a few weeks before he passed away.
His faith and his church were an integral part of his life. He was baptized as a young boy in a creek near the Corinth Church of Christ. He had been flirting with Carol without success until he started attending the same church as her. After moving to Bloomington, they worshiped at the Bloomington Church of Christ, where he eventually served as an elder for many years. The members at the Bloomington Church have been like family to them. Knowing that his children and their extended families are Christians brought great joy to him.
He loved all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren and printed out the many photos, filling scrapbooks and digital frames with the photos of his loved ones.
He loved Carol for over 70 years. She always insisted on staying in his room with him at the hospital and sleeping on the couch next to his hospital bed once he was home with Hospice. He died with her at his side holding his hand.
He was preceded by his parents and his brothers, Revis, Vivin, Eugene, and Johnny and his sister Opal.
He leaves behind his wife, Carol, his oldest son Roger and his wife Vicki, his daughter Phyllis, and her husband Ray, his son Steven, and his wife Jeanne and his daughter Lisa. His grandchildren, Cody, Tara, Trey, Chase, Beth, Cory, Gabriella, Giovanna, and Katy. He had 13 great grandchildren.
His grandchildren will be his pallbearers.
He is now enjoying the fruits of a life well lived walking with the Lord.
Friends are cordially invited to greet the family during a visitation on Sunday, May 11, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Rosewood Funeral Chapel, 3304 Mockingbird Ln, Victoria, TX. A funeral service is scheduled for 11:00 AM Monday, May 12, 202 at Bloomington Church of Christ, 286 Rail Ave N, Bloomington, TX 77951. A graveside service with Military flag folding under the auspices of the Victoria Veterans Council will follow at Crescent Valley Cemetery, 6679 State Highway 185.
