Norma Gilliam Casstevens walked into Paradise on January 30, 2011. On a bright sunny day on August 22, 1923, Norma Ethel Gilliam Casstevens was born to Don S. and Myrtle Harris Gilliam within sight of Bethel Baptist Church in Ronda, NC. For the next eighty-seven years she called "home" Bethel Community. It was in this community in 1947 she married her beloved Gray D. Casstevens, son of O.D. and Nellie Adams Casstevens of Hamptonville. Norma and her siblings were particularly close and lived within a five mile radius but their pleasure in seeing each other was as heartwarming as if they had been apart for years. Charles A. Gilliam and wife Bobbie Ann, of Ronda are her surviving brother and sister-in-law. She is survived by sister-in-laws Dorothy W. Gilliam of Jonesville, Annie L. Casstevens and Ann S. Casstevens of Hamptonville. Her sister and brothers, Kathleen Gilliam Pardue, Robert Bob Gilliam and Flake Gilliam along with her husband, Gray of forty-nine years awaited her as she entered the gates of Heaven. Having graduated from Ronda High School among her collected treasures were the yearbooks found much to the delight of her granddaughter April Johnson of Nashville, Tennessee as they both served as yearbook editors for their respective schools. She furthered her education at Draughn's Business College in Winston-Salem and was employed by Armstrong News Agency and Chatham Manufacturing Company. The vast majority of her life was spent as wife, mother, homemaker and being a devoted gardener. Her grandson, Kevin Gray Tillman of Millers Creek inherited this love of land as he kept the yard and flowers groomed for Grandma to enjoy. Her daughter Jane Gray Casstevens of Millers Creek and Lucinda Johnson of Arden, NC were taught by their mother the art of sewing and love of handcrafts. Norma's quilts were most admired and she passed this talent along having taught lap quilting at Surry Community College and the women at her church. Norma always approached any task to be done to the best of her ability or it was not worth doing. She was a member of the Jonesville Extension Homemakers Club and held a variety of offices on the local and county level. During the final years of her life, she relished looking through Yadkin County Extension Homemakers Club cook books remembering the recipes she submitted as preparing and serving meals was a joy. Her son-in-law Michael "Mike" Johnson first questions when he walked in the house was what kind of pie, what kind of bake good. Perhaps the most outstanding aspect of her life revolved around her dedication to Bethel Church as attending services was not a habit but a way of life. From childhood until the age of eighty-three she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school in addition to keeping the church records for thirty-one years. Home and foreign missions were her favorite love being honored in 2004 for her dedication to this cause. Norma volunteered for Hugh Chatham Hospital, Yadkin Valley Hospice and Tri-County Ministries. Alzheimer's may have stolen things from her but not the gifts and work for God as she never met a stranger without inquiring their name, residence and where they went to church. Funeral services will be Tuesday, 11 a.m., at Bethel Baptist Church with former Pastor Mark Elmore. The body will be placed in the church at 10:30. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family will be at Elkin Funeral Service from 6 until 8 Monday night. Pallbearers will be nephews, Thomas Deal, Todd Gilliam, Jeff Pardue, Scott Simpson, John Smith and Les Tritt. Norma will greet her new found daughters who loved and cared for her with open arms when they join in her in Heaven. The family will never forget their new sisters who cared for their Mother with the greatest of love. Special thanks to Anita Abbey, Norma Chappell, Marlene Dowell, Barbara Gary, Re Gregory, Sue Johnson, Cassandra Long and Nancy Mullins. Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative team Anita Abbey, Kelly Ingram, Cathy Johnson, Morgan Keith, and Stewart Roten provided marvelous support and care to Norma and family. The family request memorials be made to Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative and Tri-County Ministries. Elkin Funeral Service is serving the Casstevens family
