The sun shone brighter on the cheery little house on Willow Street in East Austin as Norma Jean Walsh entered the world much to the delight of her parents on August 22nd, 1936. A beautiful, cotton topped little girl with sparkling brown eyes would soon be toddling through the house bringing cheer, joy, and warmth to everyone. Norma Jean was the 2nd child and daughter of Norman and LaVerne Walsh and was the apple of her father’s eye.
She attended Metz elementary and Allan Junior High where she was Gold Jacket, and then onto Austin High School, where she participated in clubs and made the Red Jackets but was unable to participate when an attack of appendicitis sidelined her. She graduated from Austin High in 1954 and worked at the Austin Police Department for a short time. Her growing up years in East Austin were filled with lots of family as most of her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents lived in the neighborhood. Though the memories are too long to list here, one of her favorites was walking through the beautiful flowerbeds and gardens of her grandmother that lived on Montopolis Drive and the fields and fields of bluebonnets behind her house in the spring. It was here and in her other grandmother’s flowerbeds where she developed her love of flowers, where later her own home was filled with beautiful flowers inside and out and she loved the satisfaction derived from growing a spring and fall garden, though challenging as it was in the Hill Country soil.
There was always a steady stream of young men visiting her front porch. There was one young man four houses down the street who had his eye on her for years, but she never paid him much attention as she really didn’t care much for him! He waited patiently for his opportunity and when the time finally came one day when a boyfriend moved away, he waited 2 hours, which he thought was the gentlemanly thing to do, and then went and knocked on her door. His first several requests were turned down but after much gentle persuasion on his part, she finally relented and accepted his request (and perhaps so he would stop bothering her!) She often loved to tell how sometimes their dates were simply sitting on a bench on the Avenue (Congress Avenue), talking and watching people walk by. Frank McCullough won her heart and that first date turned into 56 years of marriage together and 61 years as sweethearts. They were married in the little LDS chapel on Red River on September 1st, 1956, and a year later they were sealed together for eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple.
She cherished and loved her role as mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and these brought her the greatest joy in her life. Whatever the event, whether it be a choir concert, recital, or sporting event, she was there as the #1 cheerleader. She was a woman of style and grace and her artistic abilities knew no bounds. Our home radiated warmth, the doors were always open and welcoming to all and the parties she loved to give were labors of love to welcome her friends and loved ones into her home. She loved to sing and could often be heard singing throughout the house; the sign of a joyful heart. But don’t be fooled for one minute as she could swing a mean baseball bat on the softball field and was quite the markswoman.
Traditions, holidays, and cooking all went together for her. She rivaled any professional chef and as her children we often looked forward to what inventive dishes she would come up with. For holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, wonderful traditions were born and continued year after year and delightful aromas of holiday cooking and baking filled our home. It was beautifully decorated to match the spirit of the season, setting the stage for family traditions and memories that live on to this day. Walking into our home during those holidays would literally envelop you in the spirit of the season, fill your heart with joy and put a happy smile on your face! And that would bring such warmth to her heart by knowing that she had given that joy to others.
Along with her cousin Carlene Jackson Cannaday, Mom was the last of a proud legacy linking back to the earliest pioneers for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Central Texas area. Her great grandparents joined the church in 1896 in Central Texas and as a young girl she often recalled with fondness and a little humor mixed in of meeting in old, small, rented halls in downtown Austin and remembered with a chuckle of her youth Sunday School class sometimes having to meet in the girl’s restroom because there was no other space available.
From the time she was a little girl, she had an unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel, and this was exemplified in the life she lived. She loved the Lord with all of her heart and her life was an example of dedicated and loving service to Christ. Her focus was always on others, and she truly lost herself in service. Mom preferred to stay out of the limelight and work behind the scenes. Her service was not only defined by the many leadership positions she served in at church but almost more so by the countless hours of her one-on-one service, visiting or calling the sick, the troubled, the sad and weary or those experiencing tragedy or loneliness, so often lending a listening ear and heart, and even opening up her home for youth who sometimes needed a place to stay during challenging times in their lives. Love, charity, kindness, compassion, and gentleness as well as steely determination defined her life, and she truly had a heart of gold.
Our sweet and dear Mom, Nana, and GG Nana, oh how we will miss you and are grateful through the eternities for the love and legacy that you have left us and look forward to the day when we will see you again in the realms on high!
Norma is survived by her loving children: son Mike McCullough and wife Cara, son Scott McCullough, son Todd McCullough and wife Bridget, son Scooter McCullough and wife Lindsay, and daughter Melanie Allison and husband Brent. Also surviving her are her beloved and adored 12 grandchildren, Ben, Kip, Bethany, Justin, Chelsea, Jordan, Tyler, Cory, Chloe, Bo, Sophie, and Chase as well as great grandchildren Reese, Cooper, Honey James and Blair. Her husband Frank, father Norman, mother LaVerne, brothers James and Tommy as well as her beloved and adored great grandson Brooxton all predeceased her. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Sharon and Rita Walsh as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
A viewing will be held Thursday evening, August 4th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Lake Travis Event Center/Weed-Corley Fish at 411 RR 620, Lakeway Texas 78734. An additional viewing will be held Friday August 5th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 12001 Bee Caves Rd. Austin, Texas 78738, from 9:00 to 9:30 am with the funeral service following at 10:00 am. Interment will be held immediately following the service at Austin Memorial Park Cemetery at 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, TX. 78731. All are welcome to attend the graveside service.
For those who are unable to attend the funeral service, below is a Zoom link to click on to join the service via Zoom.
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Those wishing to make a financial donation in lieu of flowers may do so to the Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
