Benjamin Franklin Norris

Services for Benjamin Franklin Norris, 75, of Gilmer will be Thursday, September 21, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church in Gladewater. Interment will follow services at Gladewater Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening at Croley Funeral Home in Gladewater. Mr. Norris passed away on Monday, September 18, 2017 at his residence in Gilmer.

Mr. Norris was born July 7, 1942 in McKinney, Texas to the late Benjamin Elmer Norris and Helen Brazier Norris. Ben was known for many things throughout his life – A Christian, gentleman, family man, role model, brother, husband, father, grandfather, friend, and most of all hard worker. He has been fondly known as: Darvin, Dob, Daddy, Pops, Pa, Honey, but most call him friend.

He was raised in Bennington, OK with his parents and 11 siblings. Ben gave the best of himself to his family, even at a young age. Beginning at 5 years old shaking peanuts and later with an 8th grade education he began working in the cotton fields to be the sole provider for his family.

At the age of 18 he married the love of his life, Patricia Gayle LaRue and they were married 57 years. They learned to live life together as he provided for her and their family as a proud fire fighter serving Brownfield, TX community. Ben worked in the oil field for over 50 years and retired with Phillip Petroleum as an Offshore Supervisor.

Ben has been a successful, hardworking gentleman. His pride and joy was always found in his family. He loved to go fishing, working on his farm, watching the rangers, as well as, always cheering on the Dallas Cowboys. He enjoyed teaching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren how to live with integrity and good godly moral values. Ben went to meet the Lord with his family around his bed after a long hard battle with cancer. He will be missed but his legacy lives on.

Ben is survived by his loving wife Patricia Gayle Norris; two sons Bennie Ray Norris and wife Donna of Gilmer and Kelly Wayne Norris and wife Jenny of Longview; daughter Terry Lynn Davenport and husband Shane of Granbury, TX; three brothers Stan Norris of New York, Ted Norris of Greenville, TX and Tim Norris of Bonham, TX; four sisters Frances Prater of Telephone, TX, Evelyn Powell of Durant, OK, Debra Williams of Sherman, TX and Steva Norris of Durant, OK; twelve grandchildren; five great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews as well as many other loving family and friends.