Norma Smith Martin

Norma Ruffin Smith Martin, age 84, died on June 17, 2016, at her home in Cullman, Alabama, where she had lived since fall of 2012. For the 50+ years prior to that she had lived and raised her children in Oxford, Alabama, along with her husband Earl Reid Martin, who died in 1982. All who were privileged to know Norma knew her to be a woman of strong faith in God and service to others, from her many years as a teacher, to her civic and community involvements, to her years of varied church work and roles, including that of Sunday School teacher (Charity Class) and choir member of the 1st Baptist Church of Oxford. Norma was born on August 10, 1931, in Birmingham, Alabama, to parents Paul E. and Winnie Ruffin Smith. She was predeceased by her husband Earl R. Martin, her parents, and her brother Paul E. Smith, Jr. She is survived by her children Patrick (Anne) Martin of Panama City Beach, FL; Susan Martin (Ernest) Hauk of Cullman, AL; Russell (Leigh) Martin of Homewood, AL; grandchildren Bart (Edee) Barnett of Houston, TX; Bethany (Fred) Womack of Panama City, FL; Brynn (Chez) Dyas of Denver, CO; Rachael Martin of Cullman, AL; Chris Martin of Panama City Beach, FL; Claire (Clay) Brewster of Birmingham, AL; and Samantha Hauk of Cullman, AL; great-grandchildren Bayley Barnett, Ally and Andrew Womack, and Maggie and Mia Brewster; sisters Winifred Alley of Savannah, GA, and Betty Bryan of Cullman, AL; daughter-in-law Barbara Hardy; loving and devoted caregiver Mary Blair, and a host of nieces, nephews, and loyal friends. A funeral service will be held at 1st Baptist Church in Oxford, AL, on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. followed by a time of celebratory visitation and ice cream. The family requests that the friends arrive at the church at 1:45 p.m. Interment will follow in Oxford Municipal Cemetery at 4:30 p.m. Services will be led by Rev. Buddy Nelson and David Hodnett, Pastoral Assistant at 1st Presbyterian Church of Anniston. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The City of Oxford Arts Council (PO Box 3383 Oxford, AL 36203) or the children’s ministry of Seventh Street Baptist Church (708 7th St. SW, Cullman, AL 35055), where Norma found a church home during her time in Cullman. Norma’s family also wants to thank nurses Jeremy Hogland and Lisa Wilhite of Gentiva Hospice for their kind and attentive care.

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Norma Smith Martin

August 10, 1931 - June 17, 2016