James Earl Norman passed away on January 31, 2022.
James was born on October 30, 1934, in Glen Rose to G.D. and Sadie Nabors Norman. He attended Glen Rose ISD where he lettered in four sports, earned all-district honors in football and basketball, and was the district’s leading scorer as a cager.
He graduated from Glen Rose High School in 1953, attended Tarleton Sate University and Abilene Christian before graduating from Sam Houston State University in 1958 with a degree in Journalism.
James met his wife, Artie Wilson of Normangee, Texas, while at Sam Houston and they were married December 27, 1958. He pursued a dual career as a sports writer, college sports publicist, and rural mail carrier. His newspaper career began in 1958 with a short stint at the Wichita Falls Record-News. He moved to the Abilene Reporter-News in 1959 and worked there for five years.
In 1963, James accepted the job as Sports Information Director at Abilene Christian. Then, in 1972, he was hired as sports writer/deskman at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. In 1983, he resigned there to become a rural mailer carrier in Parker County.
While at ACU James won seven awards for editing and publishing sports brochures, including the production of the “Best in the Nation” track and field brochure in 1965. He covered high school and college sports while at the Star-Telegram and in 1975 was selected “Sports Writer of the Year” by the Lone Star Conference. He was highly recognized for his coverage of rodeo and cutting horse events and continued as a free-lance writer through 2005.
He worked 20 years driving a rural route for the Postal Service and was never involved in an accident. James was also an active member in the Aledo Church of Christ, serving as a Deacon and Treasurer for years, then as an Elder.
James will be deeply and lovingly missed by his children, Lance and Phetmany Norman, Holly and Joe Sampson, and Shannon Benoit; granddaughters, Corinne Marshall and husband, Pryce, Lana Norman, Natalee Norman, Paige Benoit, and Madeline Benoit; great-grandchildren, Ashton, Roman, Brighton, and Sully; and a host of friends.
Visitation is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, February 10, 2022, at Aledo Church of Christ with a funeral service to follow at 2p.m. Interment will be rendered at White Church Cemetery.
The Community News
February 11, 2022
