Mamie Neola “Betty” Norris January 29, 1923 – July 25, 2011

  Mamie Neola ‘Betty’ Norris, daughter of Cresser Cargo and Mamie Marie Norton, was born January 29, 1923 at Unionville, Missouri. Betty was raised in Saint Joseph, Missouri and as a young woman she liked to sing and yodel.

She married Lawrence ‘LD’ Norris in Princeton, Missouri in 1968. They made their home in Kansas City before moving to Des Moines, Iowa in 1971 where they would live for the rest of their married life. Betty retired as manager of the laundry services at Elm Crest Nursing. LD and Betty liked to travel to family homes to visit; always taking along their little dog, Midnight. They also liked to fish.

After LD passed away in January 1999, Betty spent time tending to her home and taking care of her little dog, Teddy. After a bad fall in 2007, Betty moved to Good Samaritan Home in Indianola, Iowa to be closer to her niece, DeAnna. A great kidder, she quickly became a favorite of the nursing home staff who always saw that she had her coffee cup full.

Betty passed away at Good Samaritan Home in Indianola on July 25, 2011. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Larry; infant sister, Daisy May, and four brothers, Eddie, Earl, Lee and Richard.

Survivors include her sister, Katie Walker of Ottumwa, Iowa; sister-in-law, Phyllis Van Zandt of Berwick, Iowa; niece, DeAnna (Alan) Beck of Indianola, Iowa, and many nieces, nephews and friends. Arrangements were provided by Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr.

Services were held at the Redding Cemetery in Redding on Thursday, July 28, 2011, with Rev. Terry Roberts officiating. 

Casket bearers were Alan Beck, Jim Norris, Wilber Bane, Nick Schaaf, Eugene Spencer and Shawn Hentges.

Betty was laid at rest in the Redding Cemetery in Redding.