1928-2023

Sarah Elizabeth Norman was born Oct.12, 1928, in Midland and died peacefully Sept. 14, 2023, in Tyler. The only child of Paul and Minnie Ellenberger, she was raised in the oilfields of West and East Texas and later in Arkansas. She graduated from El Dorado High School in Arkansas in 1945 at the age of 16. In 1948, Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women’s University, in Denton at the age of 19.

The following fall, Sarah moved to Canton as the assistant extension agent of Van Zandt County. She met Weldon Norman at the courthouse on her first day. The couple married in 1950. They raised their two children, John Earl and Janis Elizabeth and were active members of the First United Methodist Church of Canton. While raising her children, she gave her time to the PTA, 4-H, Cub Scouts, and Band Boosters.

When her husband went into business for himself as a car dealer, she joined him as the bookkeeper. She was an integral part of running a successful small business. They built their family-owned car dealership into Norman’s Pontiac/GMC.

Sarah’s family was her first love, but the library was the second. In 1982, she was the first president and a founding member of the Friends of the Library. A main focus was advocating for a new library building. On September 13, 1992, that dream was realized when the new library building was dedicated. She continued to support the library and volunteered almost daily until she could no longer drive. She was honored on Oct. 30, 2019, when the library was renamed Van Zandt County/ Sarah Norman Library.

Sarah supported the community in several ways. She was a member of the DAV Auxiliary, Order of the Eastern Star, American Cancer Society, United Methodist Women, Van Zandt County Library Board, Wednesday Study Club, and Friends of the Library.

She has been honored for her service. She was named Woman of the Year by the Canton Chamber of Service in 1993. She was chosen as Outstanding Woman of Van Zandt County in 1994. She received the ‘Citizen of the Year’ award from the Northeast Texas Library System in 2003. Van Zandt County declared Sarah Norman Day in Oct. 2008 and Oct. 2013 to honor her birthday and recognize her honorable service to fellow citizens.

Sarah is survived by children John and Rosalind Norman, and Janis and Earl Brown. She has four grandchildren, Christy Norman, Travis and Megan Norman, Elizabeth and Eric Rodriguez, and Rebecca and Jacob Garner. Sarah was blessed with seven great-grandchildren: Marco Rodriguez, Mia Rodriguez, Danielle Norman, Charles Norman, Sarah Garner, Charlotte Garner, and Samuel Garner.

Sarah is preceded in death by her parents, husband Weldon, and infant son, James.

Funeral service will be 1 pm Saturday, September 23, 2023, at the First United Methodist Church in Canton. Interment will be in Wesley Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be held 6-8 pm Friday, September 22, 2023, at Eubank Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Donny Davis, Gary Jorgensen, Jimmy Baugh, John Crow, Lonny Cluck, and Ed Cozart.

If so desired, memorials may be made to the Friends of the Library, P. O. Box 1072, Canton, Texas 75103.