Obituary
Norma Jean Gaut, filled with the light of Amazing Grace, left this life to be reunited with her family in Heaven on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Born May 22, 1935, in Tryon, North Carolina, Norma (affectionately called "Mee Maw" by her family) adorned this earth for nearly nine decades.
In this great expanse of time, Norma matured from a small-town, southern belle to a wife and hard-working mother of four and, ultimately, into her most glorious form: a fiercely creative Matriarch.
With a talent for cultivating beauty in all that she encountered, Mee Maw shared her special gifts unrelentingly: the savory smells of her holiday kitchen; the bountiful birds bathing in her gardens; the colorful threads, shining fabrics, velvety pincushions, and jars of buttons stockpiled in her seamstress's nook; the delicate poise and balance of each fresh-picked floral arrangement; hand-painted Christmas ornaments; endless hours of storybook read-a-louds; sunshine and hot coffee steaming through the morning light of stained glass window crystals; painted Easter eggs and Nutter Butters and Ice cream for supper; and everyone's absolute favorite: homemade hot biscuits and cornbread.
Be it a special occasion or no occasion at all, Mee Maw made every moment count, kindling the embers of perfectionism into the deep and lasting fires of familial love.
Beyond her creative pursuits, Norma was a gifted realtor, a lover of animals - especially her dogs Rascal and Lollipop, a chocolate enthusiast and a collector of books, art, and a myriad of delicate and beautiful things.
Our beloved Mee Maw lived a full, honorable, and hard-working life, weaving threads of herself into the hearts and souls of each of her children, six grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
Norma is preceded in death by her parents, James Curtis Arledge and Azilee Norman Arledge; her brothers, James "Jay" Arledge and Micheal Arledge; the father of her children, Bob Mills; her husband, Richard Gaut, and his daughter Patty Gaut Rowan; and her beloved grandson, Patrick Mills.
She is survived by her children Dean (Gail) Mills, Janice Thomas, David Mills, and Laura Mills; her bonus daughters Marlicia Gaut Correll and Jennifer Gaut Corpening; five of her six grandchildren - all six of whom she was most proud for completing their college educations; and her twelve great grandchildren who brought to her the highest form of joy in her twilight years.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Emerald Ridge Rehabilitation and Care Center for the kindness and care they provided.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 28, 2024 at Columbus Presbyterian Church in Columbus, NC officiated by Rev. Phillip Ashley.
Norma's final resting place will be Columbus Presbyterian Church in Columbus, North Carolina.
May her memory be eternal.
Born May 22, 1935, in Tryon, North Carolina, Norma (affectionately called "Mee Maw" by her family) adorned this earth for nearly nine decades.
In this great expanse of time, Norma matured from a small-town, southern belle to a wife and hard-working mother of four and, ultimately, into her most glorious form: a fiercely creative Matriarch.
With a talent for cultivating beauty in all that she encountered, Mee Maw shared her special gifts unrelentingly: the savory smells of her holiday kitchen; the bountiful birds bathing in her gardens; the colorful threads, shining fabrics, velvety pincushions, and jars of buttons stockpiled in her seamstress's nook; the delicate poise and balance of each fresh-picked floral arrangement; hand-painted Christmas ornaments; endless hours of storybook read-a-louds; sunshine and hot coffee steaming through the morning light of stained glass window crystals; painted Easter eggs and Nutter Butters and Ice cream for supper; and everyone's absolute favorite: homemade hot biscuits and cornbread.
Be it a special occasion or no occasion at all, Mee Maw made every moment count, kindling the embers of perfectionism into the deep and lasting fires of familial love.
Beyond her creative pursuits, Norma was a gifted realtor, a lover of animals - especially her dogs Rascal and Lollipop, a chocolate enthusiast and a collector of books, art, and a myriad of delicate and beautiful things.
Our beloved Mee Maw lived a full, honorable, and hard-working life, weaving threads of herself into the hearts and souls of each of her children, six grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
Norma is preceded in death by her parents, James Curtis Arledge and Azilee Norman Arledge; her brothers, James "Jay" Arledge and Micheal Arledge; the father of her children, Bob Mills; her husband, Richard Gaut, and his daughter Patty Gaut Rowan; and her beloved grandson, Patrick Mills.
She is survived by her children Dean (Gail) Mills, Janice Thomas, David Mills, and Laura Mills; her bonus daughters Marlicia Gaut Correll and Jennifer Gaut Corpening; five of her six grandchildren - all six of whom she was most proud for completing their college educations; and her twelve great grandchildren who brought to her the highest form of joy in her twilight years.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Emerald Ridge Rehabilitation and Care Center for the kindness and care they provided.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 28, 2024 at Columbus Presbyterian Church in Columbus, NC officiated by Rev. Phillip Ashley.
Norma's final resting place will be Columbus Presbyterian Church in Columbus, North Carolina.
May her memory be eternal.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Norma Gaut, please visit our flower store.
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