Norma Jane Houston

Norma Jane (Edwards) Houston, daughter of Rome Edwards and Rose (Kumpf) Edwards, was born in a snowstorm at the family farm in Bannister Hollow, Missouri on April 1, 1926. She always enjoyed telling people she was an April Fool’s baby. She received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior as a teenager and was baptized in the cold Bannister creek. She departed this life Monday, July 15, 2024 at home in Camdenton, surrounded by her family, at the age of ninety-eight years, three months, and fifteen days.

Norma attended elementary school in Bannister Hollow. She and her siblings had to walk to school in the snow-uphill both ways (literally). She graduated as valedictorian from Macks Creek High School in 1943. While attending high school, she was voted MVP of the Skyline Basketball Tournament. She started teaching in the fall of 1943 while attending summer school at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar and Southwest Missouri State in Springfield. After three years of teaching in small schools in Camden County, she served as secretary to the superintendent at Macks Creek School until 1950.

On June 4, 1950, in the Rose Garden at Faith Bible Academy, she was united in marriage to Virgil Junior Houston. They shared sixty-one wonderful years together. She was a substitute teacher, a homemaker, and raised five children: Susan, Alice, Elizabeth, Martha, and Mark. Norma started teaching children’s Sunday School in the mid-1950’s and taught for sixty-two years, affecting the lives and eternal destinies of countless children. Norma often said, “Being with children, even today, is special to me.” She also served as Sunday School Director and a G.A. Leader. Virgil and Norma were lifetime members of First Baptist Church, Camdenton.

After raising her five children, she got involved in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School (VBS) leadership conferences for the Lamine Baptist Association and later taught conferences for the Missouri Baptist Convention and led VBS conferences all over the United States. Having Windermere Conference Center at the Lake of the Ozarks enabled her to attend a lot of conferences that taught her many of the skills she used in her leadership roles. She loved teaching others how children learn.

Norma cared deeply about the future of the church and was very involved with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) and the Future Leadership Foundation (FLF). Virgil and Norma were passionate about spreading the gospel through the Gideons International, serving in the local Gideon camp for many years. She served in many roles including President of the Gideon’s Auxiliary.

The highlight of her life was going on overseas mission trips. Beginning in 1983 with a trip to Taiwan, she influenced many people for the Kingdom of God. In later years she made seven trips to Belarus and surrounding countries such as Lithuania and Russia. Her last trip there was when she was 81 years old! The people of Belarus captured her heart and she made many lasting friendships there.

Virgil and Norma specialized in hospitality—people from all over the world stayed in their home in Possum Hollow, or shared a meal with the family. If they took them to a restaurant, Virgil always paid for the meal!

Norma faithfully uplifted people in prayer. After her daily Bible reading, she flipped through her prayer notebook and prayed for family, friends, church leaders, and missionaries all over the world.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband Virgil, her parents, her brother—John Edwards, and sisters—Mary Edwards, Elsie Blair, and Anita Watkins; her brothers-in-law—Glen Blair, Vic Watkins, and Ed Roe; and her sister-in-law—Willa Roe.

Survivors include her five children—Susan Houston (Connie) of Columbia, Alice (Jim) McDermott of Camdenton, Elizabeth (Ed) Doney of Camdenton, Martha (Bill) Wood of Camdenton, Mark (Nancy) Houston of Aledo, Texas; nine grandchildren—J.J. Wallace, Jr., Christy (Jim) Pond, Darin McDermott, Stephen Bradley, Jessica (Patrick) McDonald, Shy (Houston) Carter, Elise (James) Dowell, Wil Houston, and Shane Houston; nine great-grandchildren—Madeline and David Pond, Kate, Chloe, Emma, Abby, Lily, Patrick III, and Millie McDonald; sister-in-law Mary Lou Edwards; her spiritual daughter—Marcia (Tony) Hutchinson and their children Robert and Jane; her beloved nieces and nephews (many of whom affectionately called her “Ain’t Normal”), other relatives and many friends.

Norma loved her family and her prayer was that the Lord would give her a little more time here so she could enjoy the children a little longer. Ninety-eight years is a good answer.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm Saturday, July 27, 2024 in the First Baptist Church, Camdenton. Funeral service will be at 2:00 pm Saturday, July 27, 2024 in the church. Burial will follow in Dale Blair Memorial Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Gideon’s or the Future Leadership Foundation.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Camdenton, Missouri.