James Eric Norman, age 98, of Newark, DE, went to be with The Lord on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
He was born in Purvis, MS and raised in Houston & New Albany, MS. Eric is the son of the late Annie Belle (Woodruff) and Willie Lee Norman. He graduated from New Albany HS in 1943. Ineligible for the military because of poor eyesight, Eric served his country during World War II by working at the Pascagoula Shipyard for a year after working in New Albany for a year. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Mississippi State College in 1949.
Eric worked for DuPont, Atlas and then DuPont again. In the 1980s he retired from DuPont, as a construction cost estimator, after more than 30 years. From 1979 to 1981 he and his wife lived in Spring, TX, where they were members of Champion Forest Baptist Church.
Eric will be fondly remembered as a kind-hearted gentle man, devoted to his family. He enjoyed ping-pong and was a good player. He and Barbara rarely if ever missed one of their sons’ baseball or softball games. He was a very active member at Immanuel Baptist Church (where he was a deacon and assisted his wife with her responsibilities as children’s choir director), Bethel Baptist Church (where he taught Sunday School and served on the Missions Committee), and most recently Faith Baptist Church.
Eric’s wife of 65 years, Barbara A. (Boyer) died in 2018. He is survived by his 2 sons, James E. Jr. (Joan) of Salisbury, MD and John of Wilmington; 3 grandchildren, Matthew (Tara), Zachary, and Kathryn Mayers (Nathan), 7 great-grandchildren and 2 siblings, Marjorie Jarratt and Harry Norman (Shirley). He was preceded in death by 3 siblings, C.W. & Cecil Norman, Wilma Kidd, and a granddaughter-in-law, Emily Norman.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, June 27 beginning at 12 noon, at Faith Baptist Church, 4210 Limestone Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808, where a funeral service will follow at 1 pm. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.
For livestream: www.fbcwilmington.comthen click “Watch Now”
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Faith Baptist Church (www.fbcwilmington.com)
For online condolences please visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
