Norma Nix Young was born in Kansas City, Kansas on March 1, 1929, at Bethany Hospital. She grew up in Johnson County with parents Raynold and Helen Stack and sister Karin and brother John. The siblings also spent time in Enterprise, Kansas at their maternal grandparents’ farm during the depression years. Norma attended Roseland Grade School, Shawnee Mission High School, and the University of Kansas City. Later, after starting a family, she earned a master’s degree in education from Northeast Louisiana University.

Norma met her husband Roland Nix at Calvary Baptist in Kansas City, Missouri, where he asked if he could “carry her home” from church and where they were married in 1950.  They lived in Kansas City until a job offer took them to Louisiana where Roland opened his own pharmacy and Norma began her life-long teaching career.

Norma taught elementary and junior high students in the Ouachita Parish Louisiana and Richardson Texas school districts for 27 years. Her specialty certification was in reading. In retirement, Norma returned to her native Kansas and continued to substitute teach in Overland Park until moving to Arkansas to be closer to kids and grandkids.

Whether in Kansas or Louisiana or Texas or Arkansas, Norma – a devout Christian — was always very active in church. She sang in choir, taught Sunday School, managed the library, organized women’s ministry, and decorated a foyer or two in need of her touch. She was an accomplished pianist and found great solace in music her entire life. Her hidden talent as an artist re-emerged in later years, and her paintings now adorn the homes of her family. Norma loved the outdoors, water skiing, camping and volunteering at Hot Springs Marvin Gardens.  Norma belonged to several social service organizations including PEO, Beta Sigma Phi and Women of the Moose.

On October 14, 2021, Norma passed away at age 92, knowing her savior Jesus Christ.

Norma is survived by her sister, Karin Winn; two daughters Elizabeth Smith (husband Marvin) and Karen Tannen (husband Gary); two grandchildren Christin Smith (husband Cameron) and Chad Smith (wife Rebecca) and seven great-grandchildren, Hudson, Laurel, Mason, Carter, Lainey, Silas, and Rosie.

Memorial services will be at Bella Vista (Arkansas) Baptist Church at 2pm Thursday. Visitation is at 1pm.

Graveside ceremony for family will be at Kilpatrick’s Serenity Gardens in West Monroe, Louisiana  Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 11am.