William Norman Ponder

William Norman Ponder, 87, of Baytown, TX was born August 24, 1934, in Athens, TX and passed away Thursday, November 4, 2021. The son of Thomas and Rena Ponder, the family moved to Baytown in 1939, attended schools in the Baytown area and was a proud graduate of Robert E. Lee in 1952.

Following graduation, Norman served as a Navy radioman on the U.S.S. Sphinx from 1952 to 1955 and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. His most memorable military experience was when he participated in the 1954 Operation Passage to Freedom, where the Sphinx evacuated women and children from Vietnam.

He attended Lee College, University of Houston, South Texas College of Law and Southern University and earned his degrees in transportation management and law. He spent his career working in the petrol chemical industry and as a local business owner, operating a marine tankerman service across the Gulf Coast area. He married his wife Kay, in 1956 and they welcomed their eldest son, Norman Dwayne, in 1957, followed by son Rance Layne in 1960 and completed their family nine years later with the birth of their youngest child and only daughter, D’Laine.

Norman had endless hobbies throughout his lifetime, including photography and traveling across the country with his family and beloved friends the Gerstemans and the Feniellos. His truest passion, however, was music. He was a skilled, published songwriter and enjoyed playing a vast array of string instruments, especially the banjo and harmonica. Bluegrass music inspired him the most and he wrote songs about his childhood growing up in the country.

He was immensely proud of his family and was not afraid to get his hands dirty to build and sustain their legacy. He led the charge at the family farms in Athens and Mason, TX creating fond memories, including building a lake with the men of the family, where they spent afternoons fishing and bonding. He was always producing new projects and in recent years spent time carving wooden keepsakes for his loved ones.

Norman was beloved in his community and served faithfully as a member of Baptist Temple for seven decades and hand built the three crosses displayed at the church on Sjolander Road. He was also a longtime leader at Masonic Lodge #1357, where he served as Worshipful Master. Norman was a member of the VFW, Knights Templar, Scottish Rite and Shriner’s organizations and ran for city council in 1992. He also spent every morning he could drinking coffee among friends at many coffee shops around town and every Friday with family and friends at Luna’s, where he was a patron for over 30 years.

Norman was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Kay; his grandparents Thomas Jefferson Ponder and Elizabeth Jane Burkett Ponder, and Oscar William Thomas and Artie Alma Daniels Thomas; his parents Thomas and Rena Ponder; his sister, Frances Ponder; his son Norman Dwayne Ponder; and son-in-law, Duane Smith. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Rance and Rhonda Ponder; daughter and son-in-law D’Laine (Ponder) Smith and Gilbert Luna; daughter-in-law and husband Vicki (Ponder) Turnipseed and Robert Turnipseed; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Geana and Wilburn Pfeiffer; grandchildren Michelle (Ponder) Perry; Kelvin and Danielle (Ponder) Webster; Matthew and Veronica Ponder; Danon and Holly Ponder; and Skye Smith; great-grandchildren Cullen Ponder, Audrey Ponder, Kevin and Trevor Perry, Koda Ponder, Randall Ponder, Owen and Mila Webster and Nathaniel Ponder; numerous other cousins, nieces and nephews, a host of friends and his dog, Sweetie.

His family will receive friends at Navarre Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Friday, November 12, 2021, at Navarre Funeral Home with Rev. Jim Looney officiating. Burial will follow at Earthman Memory Gardens Cemetery on Garth Rd. in Baytown, TX.

Serving as pallbearers will be John Paul Barclay, Jason Faulk, Danon Ponder, Matthew Ponder, Joseph Smith and Kelvin Webster. Honorary pallbearers will be Ralph Feniello, Gilbert Luna, Wilburn Pfeiffer, and Robert Turnipseed.