Joe Donald Norris

He was born November 30, 1930, in Iredell County and was the son of the late Ralph and Lula Mae Blackburn Norris. He was educated at Wingate Junior College and Appalachian State Teacher’s College where he graduated in 1953. He was a high school teacher at Statesville High School for five years and was an insurance agent for State Farm Insurance for 38 years. He was a lifelong, active member of Western Avenue Baptist Church where he was a former Sunday school teacher, a former deacon and a deacon emeritus.

He was preceded in death on September 24, 2006, by his wife, Betty Ruth Chapman Norris, whom he married on May 24, 1953.

He is survived by three children, Keith (Elizabeth) Norris of Advance, John (Cathy) Norris and Teresa Norris, both of Charlotte; four grandchildren, Kristopher Norris, Kathryn (Brian) Spach, Joseph (Betsy) Norris and Scott Norris; a great-granddaughter, Bethany Spach; a sister, Drucilla N. Davis; a sister-in-law, Shirley Chapman, both of Statesville; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral service celebrating Donald’s life will be held at 1:30 PM Tuesday, July 1, 2014, at Western Avenue Baptist Church with the Rev. Ralph Carter and Dr. Skip Cartin officiating. Entombment will follow at Iredell Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 to 1:30 PM Tuesday at the church prior to the service.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com.

For those who prefer, memorial contributions may be made to Western Avenue Baptist Church, 1206 Museum Road, Statesville, NC 28625.

Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.