Norma Lawrence Staples, 90, passed away January 11, 2021 at Paris Medical Center. Funeral services are set for Saturday, 16 January starting with a visitation at noon, chapel service at 1:00 PM, followed by burial in Evergreen Cemetery. Fry Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.
Norma was born October 7, 1930 outside of Charleston, Texas in Delta County to the late Dora and Charles Edgar Lawrence. She went to grade school and high school in Paris and graduated from Paris Junior College.
She married Robert Bruce (Bob) Staples, Jr. on April 7, 1951 in Paris. He proceeded her in death in March of 2007. She and Bob formerly owned Staples Jewelry Store and were in the rental business for years. She loved fishing and bridge, and at one time raised horses.
Norma was also the Texas Tennis State Champion in Women’s Singles representing Paris High School in 1948. She went on to compete at the Nationals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was ranked #27 nationally that year.
Norma’s faith in Christ as her Savior was important to her and she spent many hours hosting Bible and prayer groups through the years in her home on Audubon Rd. She was also close to numerous nieces and nephews. She loved their phone calls and visits and would talk for hours about early life growing up with their parents in Paris.
Norma is survived by her children; a daughter, Brenda and husband Joseph Weber LtGen USMC (Ret) of Round Top, Texas; two sons, R. Bruce Staples and wife Patti of Paris, and Larry Staples and wife Leah from Odessa, Texas. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren are Clint Weber, wife Heather and daughter Betsy of Ft Worth, Texas, Julie Sawyer, husband Blake and daughters Annalee, Caroline, Margaret, and son Joe of Brenham, Texas, Anna Eisenlohr, husband Chris and their children Emily, and Graham of Dallas, Texas, Robert Staples, wife Taylor and son Pierson of Ft Worth,Texas, and from Odessa, Texas, Eric Evenson, wife Sandy and children, Caleb, Kameron, and Trent, and Garen Mayfield, and Shala Dennis, husband Rickey and children Crystal Leatherwood and Courtney Oneal.
Norma was preceded in death by a brother. W. T. Lawrence, and sisters Charlene Lawrence Thompson, Evalee Lawrence Lowry Stone, Dochia Lawrence Nix and Nina Lawrence Newell.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Spring Lake Assisted Living and Waterford Hospice Signature Home Health for their loving care and friendship.