Norma Rae Henry

Norma Rae Prewitt was born to Ernest O. and Blanche Roper Prewitt on December 10, 1936. She was welcomed by her adoring older brother, E.O. Prewitt, Jr., who was 22 years her senior. Norma Rae, as she was known by her family, lived in Kleberg, Texas until she was 2 years old. It was then that E.O. Sr. and Blanche made the move to the city, during the Great Depression, to continue the Prewitt Funeral Home in Oak Cliff, moving from a general store that sold caskets to a full-service funeral home. Norma Rae grew up attending First Baptist Church in Dallas where she made lifelong friends, including her special friend, Carol Hinson Cavitt, who became a lifelong pal. Later on, she returned to the Business and Professionals Singles group on Sunday nights at First Baptist, where she made friends (Marjie Heath, Charlotte Hudson Howton, and Cala Thomas) that showed her daughter the importance of church community. Norma Rae graduated from Sunset High School in January 1955. Her father did not want her to "get a job because she might not want to go to college if she liked making money". She went to Rutherford Business College where she met Norman William Wuerz, a young man she dated through her first year at Baylor College. Her parents plan to have her finish college were thwarted by young love, and God's plan. Norma and Norman were married August 10, 1956. On May 17, 1957, they were blessed with a daughter, Patricia Lynn Wuerz, also known as Patti Lynn. After living in Houston and Abilene, the young couple found themselves back in Dallas in 1960, and became an active member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Oak Cliff. They were a part of the Westcliffe Mission, and Norma worked with "the youth" and WMU. Through ministry, she made many friends, including Charlene Crow and her husband, Levon. Through the years, these families remained connected and showed a legacy of love and ministry to their children. Things changed for Norma in 1965 after the loss of her father that January, followed by the end of her marriage. Change is hard, but Norma remained strong in her faith (and ever grateful for the support of her church, especially Truett L. Huffstutler, who affirmed her remaining active in ministry even as she was divorced). Norma returned to school at North Texas State College, while working at various jobs, and graduated with a degree in education in January 1968. After teaching one semester in Ennis, Texas, she began a career teaching 3rd grade in September 1968 at Otis Brown Elementary in Irving, where she remained until retirement in May 1997. Norma was an amazing teacher, not only instilling book learning, but life and love lessons. Her daughter benefited from her mother's skills, as she was the one who taught her to "borrow" in subtraction, "heavily encouraged" her on learning her multiplication tables (for Valerie, too), and instilled a love of reading when she took Children's literature. Norma Neal Hellard, Linda Hensel Agee, Mimi Perkins, and Shawna Mayberry were lifelong teaching friends. Norma took Patti to school in Irving, commuting from Oak Cliff for two years, before she proudly bought the house she lived in for 36 and a half years in the summer of 1971, just as Patti started High School. There were many great memories in that home, of friends, single's groups, and family. While raising her daughter, Norma also continued to support her mother, Mrs. Prewitt, who resided in Oak Cliff. After Patti graduated from high school, there was a bit of a void. Much to her mother's chagrin, Norma took up square dancing when Patti left for college. There she met Frank Henry. And after a whirlwind romance that began Labor Day 1977, they married at her home on March 18, 1978. Frank Ford Henry had raised four childrenBenny, David, Sarah, and Eve. He loved Norma, Model A's, and was the perfect fit for Norma. He loved the Lord and had a quiet faith that had seen him through the years. He showed Patti what a Godly marriage looked like, and was a wonderful husband, father, and Papaw. With the loss of their son David, there was great sadness and changes in their lives that eventually caused Frank's development of Alzheimer's. Norma was a wonderful caregiver, taking Frank everywhere, and loving him well even in the toughest of times. She loved Frank's children, and grandchildren, Adam and Becky and became a "super-grandma"! When Adam came to live with them, he developed cancer but she never gave up and was an important part of his becoming the adult he is today. After Norma retired she continued to tutor for the TAKS test, substitute, and cared for Frank, with the support of family (her beloved cousin, Jerry was there for her and they had many good times together). She was also well-supported by her friends at First Baptist, Euless. Norma and Frank were faithful servants there, ministering with Mission Mid-Cities in apartments, and sharing the gospel weekly with Evangelism Explosion. Even as I write this (January, 2015--after an incident with mother that seriously scared me), I heard mother hit something in the bedroom where she sleeps. I went to check on her and she was in the floor, after knocking something over. She said, "I am nothing, if not determined". Those words were especially true after Frank's death, when she developed Breast cancer it became complex with every complication known to man. She moved to Allen, Texas after illnesses in February, 2008, determined to buy a house and BE INDEPENDENT. Moving her that weekend was her loving nephew, Rusty, and her beloved grand-daughter, Valerie and her wonderful husband, Jose. She never would have made it to Allen without them! Norma gracefully settled, making Allen her home, making friends, saw friends pass, survived the loss of her grandson, Jason, and made it through many more than 9 lives--too, many to count, and ask her friends and family about the stories! Norma was active at First Baptist, Allen, serving in GA's, loving others, and as a part of DivorceCare. Pastor Chad says, "God never wastes an experience". After her divorce, she asked God to not have let this painful experience be for vain, and she wanted to be a blessing to others going through the loss of a marriage. She was an encouragement to countless people over the years, which were going through a divorce or any type of tough time. Each of us is here for a reason, and Norma would want you to know that your only purpose here is to Glorify God. Even a year ago as she was having a tough time, figuring out if she had had a stroke, and once again would be able to return home, she reached out to the fellow cleaning her hospital room. She prayed with him, asking God for healing in his life, and that he would know Jesus personally. She knew what mattered and always made it count--and, was an example of what faith, love, and mercy look like--she was far from perfect, but she knew who the example was--Jesus, her Lord and Savior. Norma Rae is survived by her daughters Patti Lynn Scali and her husband Frank and Eve Henry, grandchildren, Valerie Valtzar and her husband Jose, Joey Scali, Adam Hernandez and his wife Maya, Becky Hernandez and her husband Chris, Jonathan Monterola, great grandchildren, Jackson, Ethan, Persephone and Asher, nephew Rusty Prewitt and his wife Cathy. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank Henry Ford, sons, David and Benny Henry, grandson, Jason Monterola, brother E.O. Prewitt, Jr. and nephew Tom Prewitt. Pallbearers will be Joey Scali, Jose Valtzar, Jonathan Monterola, Adam Hernandez, Rusty Prewitt and Joel Blaylock, honorary pallbearers are Levon Crow, David Rauter, Frank Wright and Ed Fitzsimmons. The family will receive friends at a visitation on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Allen Family Funeral Options. A funeral service to celebrate Norma Rae's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. January 4, 2017 at First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott Dr., Allen, Texas 75002. Committal will follow and Norma Rae will be laid to rest with her husband Frank Ford Henry at 2:00 p.m. at the Dallas Ft. Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy., Dallas, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make contributions in Norma Rae's memory to First Baptist Church of Allen, Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions or Research for Inflammatory Breast Cancer through https://www.theibcnetwork.org/donation-page/.