Obituary for Norma Rae Codding
Norma Rae Brown Codding, age 93, of Pasadena Texas, died December 12, 2022 at her home. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 30, 2022 at the Stillwater First United Methodist Church. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of local arrangements.
Norma Rae was born July 14, 1929, in Stonebluff, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Lou Lois Berry Brown and John William Brown. Norma attended first grade in Haskell, Oklahoma in 1936. She received a certificate award for regular attendance and punctuality. This was the beginning of many awards and blue ribbons she would receive throughout her lifetime.
Her father started to work for Mid-Continent Petroleum Corp. September 16, 1918, in Stonebluff, Oklahoma. He was transferred to Stillwater, Oklahoma in January 1938. They built their home at 716 West 9th Ave. While in Stillwater her father’s health was failing. He would retire on October 29, 1943. He wanted to move to their farm in Council Hill, Oklahoma.
Norma moved from the place she loved. She would leave behind her teacher at Eugene Field School Miss Lillis Lawhon. She was her Girl Scout leader, her neighbor, her friend. She always said that Lillis gave her special attention in the years she needed help. Norma started High School in Council Hill, Oklahoma. She would graduate on May 21, 1948. Her father passed away that summer after being ill for many years. She would marry her high school sweetheart Mack Allen Jackson on September 11, 1948. They would have two children, William Allen Jackson and Virginia (Ginger) Lynn Jackson. They settled in Pasadena, Texas before William started to school.
Norma decided to go to college when her children were getting older. She received her Associates of Arts from San Jacinto Jr. College June 1, 1966. She finished her degree at the University of Houston on August 23, 1968. She taught school for 10 years in Pasadena, Texas.
In May 1970 she had to start a new life. She was divorced. She said God had a plan. She had lost her mother, she lost her siter Helen to cancer. She married her brother-in-law Charles H. Codding on December 18, 1977.
Norma and Charles moved to Stillwater in 1980. They were both passionate about working as volunteers. They worked as a team. They both received the hospital’s Volunteers of the year award. They were named Stillwater Citizens of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. They received the “Five Who Care” Award, the AARP’s Outstanding Service to the Community Award and the Oklahoma Family Communication Education Award for many years of service throughout Oklahoma. She was most proud of the funds she raised to bring Stillwater’s first police dog Diego for the Police Department.
Norma worked ten years at Human Resources for Oklahoma State University. She loved being with people. She loved going to Project Heart and having lunch with friends. She would leave there and go play cards at the community center. Life changed when Covid shut everything down. Beverly Bradley would pick up her lunch and play cards with her every day. She was blessed with wonderful friends and loving neighbors. Norma loved her backyard. She always told Charles that God talked to her there and she felt close to him in her backyard. His reply: You still need to be at church on Sunday!
Norma was preceded in her death by her parents Lou and John Brown, sister Helen Shaw Codding, brother John William (Bill) Brown Jr., husband Charles H. Codding, and Great Grandson Oliver Sumnicht.
Members of her family include her children William Allen Jackson of Thailand, Virginia (Ginger) Zeiger and husband Jimmy of Pasadena, TX, Lilla Higdon and husband Ike of Fletcher, OK, C.H. Codding and wife Mary of Kansas City, MO, and Harold Codding and wife Nancy of Keller, TX; her grandchildren Lea Ann Jackson, Kelly Jackson Williams, Justin and Bethanie LeBlanc, Amy and Jack Grace, Keely and Jason Gilpin, David and Carrie Codding, Jason and Lisa Codding, Paul and Molly Codding, and Elizabeth and Mike Sumnicht; her great-grandchildren Kaia Tullis, Will Williams, Marcus Williams, Cadence LeBlanc, Blake LeBlanc, Jackson Grace, Madeline Grace, Preston Grace, Ashlynn Price, Kacey Gilpin, Ellie Gilpin, Ryker Gilpin, Keegan Gilpin, Cole Codding, Carson Codding, Nolan Codding, Ben Codding, Jack Codding, Elliana Sumnicht, and Isabelle Sumnicht.
The family would like to thank Beverly Bradley, neighbors, and friends that watched over Norma. She was blessed by all your love.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which Norma was a breast cancer survivor and passionate about helping the future of breast cancer. Donations can be made online at www.komen.org
Norma Rae was born July 14, 1929, in Stonebluff, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Lou Lois Berry Brown and John William Brown. Norma attended first grade in Haskell, Oklahoma in 1936. She received a certificate award for regular attendance and punctuality. This was the beginning of many awards and blue ribbons she would receive throughout her lifetime.
Her father started to work for Mid-Continent Petroleum Corp. September 16, 1918, in Stonebluff, Oklahoma. He was transferred to Stillwater, Oklahoma in January 1938. They built their home at 716 West 9th Ave. While in Stillwater her father’s health was failing. He would retire on October 29, 1943. He wanted to move to their farm in Council Hill, Oklahoma.
Norma moved from the place she loved. She would leave behind her teacher at Eugene Field School Miss Lillis Lawhon. She was her Girl Scout leader, her neighbor, her friend. She always said that Lillis gave her special attention in the years she needed help. Norma started High School in Council Hill, Oklahoma. She would graduate on May 21, 1948. Her father passed away that summer after being ill for many years. She would marry her high school sweetheart Mack Allen Jackson on September 11, 1948. They would have two children, William Allen Jackson and Virginia (Ginger) Lynn Jackson. They settled in Pasadena, Texas before William started to school.
Norma decided to go to college when her children were getting older. She received her Associates of Arts from San Jacinto Jr. College June 1, 1966. She finished her degree at the University of Houston on August 23, 1968. She taught school for 10 years in Pasadena, Texas.
In May 1970 she had to start a new life. She was divorced. She said God had a plan. She had lost her mother, she lost her siter Helen to cancer. She married her brother-in-law Charles H. Codding on December 18, 1977.
Norma and Charles moved to Stillwater in 1980. They were both passionate about working as volunteers. They worked as a team. They both received the hospital’s Volunteers of the year award. They were named Stillwater Citizens of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. They received the “Five Who Care” Award, the AARP’s Outstanding Service to the Community Award and the Oklahoma Family Communication Education Award for many years of service throughout Oklahoma. She was most proud of the funds she raised to bring Stillwater’s first police dog Diego for the Police Department.
Norma worked ten years at Human Resources for Oklahoma State University. She loved being with people. She loved going to Project Heart and having lunch with friends. She would leave there and go play cards at the community center. Life changed when Covid shut everything down. Beverly Bradley would pick up her lunch and play cards with her every day. She was blessed with wonderful friends and loving neighbors. Norma loved her backyard. She always told Charles that God talked to her there and she felt close to him in her backyard. His reply: You still need to be at church on Sunday!
Norma was preceded in her death by her parents Lou and John Brown, sister Helen Shaw Codding, brother John William (Bill) Brown Jr., husband Charles H. Codding, and Great Grandson Oliver Sumnicht.
Members of her family include her children William Allen Jackson of Thailand, Virginia (Ginger) Zeiger and husband Jimmy of Pasadena, TX, Lilla Higdon and husband Ike of Fletcher, OK, C.H. Codding and wife Mary of Kansas City, MO, and Harold Codding and wife Nancy of Keller, TX; her grandchildren Lea Ann Jackson, Kelly Jackson Williams, Justin and Bethanie LeBlanc, Amy and Jack Grace, Keely and Jason Gilpin, David and Carrie Codding, Jason and Lisa Codding, Paul and Molly Codding, and Elizabeth and Mike Sumnicht; her great-grandchildren Kaia Tullis, Will Williams, Marcus Williams, Cadence LeBlanc, Blake LeBlanc, Jackson Grace, Madeline Grace, Preston Grace, Ashlynn Price, Kacey Gilpin, Ellie Gilpin, Ryker Gilpin, Keegan Gilpin, Cole Codding, Carson Codding, Nolan Codding, Ben Codding, Jack Codding, Elliana Sumnicht, and Isabelle Sumnicht.
The family would like to thank Beverly Bradley, neighbors, and friends that watched over Norma. She was blessed by all your love.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, which Norma was a breast cancer survivor and passionate about helping the future of breast cancer. Donations can be made online at www.komen.org