Norman Waggoner
1912 – 2007
Paid Obituary
Norman Waggoner, age 94, and longtime resident of Bryan-College Station, passed away on February 1, in Kingwood, Texas.
Visitation will be Monday, February 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Callaway-Jones Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be Tuesday, 10 a.m., at A-M United Methodist Church with Rev. Kip Gilts officiating. Burial will be in College Station City Cemetery.
Born in Chicago, Norm’s early life centered on a dairy farm in rural Michigan. While in grade school, both his parents died within years of each other. With humble beginnings, Norman graduated from high school determined to make a better life for himself. Working through college, he earned a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Agriculture from Michigan State University. When he graduated, he found a wife in Coletta, a librarian he had met while at Michigan State. He had a long career with Ford Motor Company. They had one son, Warren. The family moved to the Brazos Valley after retiring from Ford in 1970, where he promptly accepted a job with Texas A-M University Extension Service. After Coletta’s death in 1983, he later married Elaine Ivey.
Norman had a zest for learning, living, giving to the community, and traveling. He served Brazos Valley in many ways as a Member of the Board of Directors for The American National Red Cross, Bryan Parks and Recreation Department, A-M United Methodist Church, a Precinct Election Judge, and as an advisory council member for Community Education in College Station. In addition to his community service, he thoroughly enjoyed many years of square dancing with the Circle Squares Dance Club, and ballroom dancing with the BCS Dinner Dance Club.
He felt his greatest impact to the community was through Lions International. In particular, he volunteered in the Lions Club eyeglass and leader dog programs. He joined the Lions in 1942 and earned numerous awards recognizing his many contributions. He was the oldest living member of the College Station Noon Lion’s Club.
Survivors include his wife, Elaine, of Bryan; one son Warren, and his wife Yvonne, of Kingwood, Texas, and three grandchildren, Nicole, Justin, and RexAnne.
In lieu of flowers, memorials for Norman Waggoner may be made to the Leader Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 5000, Rochester, Michigan 48308, or through their Web site: www.leaderdogs.org
For those who wish, condolences for the family may be left at www.callawayjones.com.
Warren:
Mine and Debbie’s deepest sympathy over the loss of your Dad. I hope that you can find some comfort in knowing that he enjoyed life to the fullest and that the contributions he made in helping others throughout his life made a difference to others.
What a gentlemen.
It was my honor to serve with him on the Bryan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for a number of years. We had so many wonderful conversations during that time. He was a wealth of information on so many subjects.
I count it a priviliege to have known him and will remember him and your family in my prayers as you celebrate the life that
he lived and those who are richer for having known him.
God Bless.
Warren and family, Elaine,
We were sorry to hear about the loss of your father and husband.
My husband had been stationed in the Navy and after accepting a job at Scott and White, our family moved to the B/CS area. We were hoping to find a furnished home as our shipment of household goods would take serveral months to arrive from Guam. The first home we looked at was your Dad’s home off Holleman and it was completely furnished. (we found out that it was rare to find a home that was furnished to rent). There were many items around the home that I know carried deep memories for Mr. Waggoner and I carefully boxed them up. We called that our home for 9 months. Mr Waggoner was a wonderful landlord, always kind and considerate-asking often if there was something he could help us with. If there was a problem, he took care of it immediately. He was very sweet to our children who at that time were very young. I don’t think he ever relized how much of a blessing he was to us–we knew that meeting him and renting his home was an answer to prayer for us! We eventually found a home to buy and he was so kind and considerate to let us move out of the home a little early—genuinely excited for us that we would be starting a new life in the B/CS area.
We will never forget the kind and considerate person who was one of our first contacts here!
May our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, be your strength and comfort in the loss of Mr. Waggoner.
Sincerely,
Rob, Pam, Robbie, Miranda and Carly Wiprud
We were saddened to hear the news about the death of your father. Our thoughts are with you and your loved ones during this difficult time of loss. Remember that ‘Those who live in the hearts of others never die.’