Norma Lea Beasley

Norma Lea Beasley, 80, went to be with the Lord, March 29, 2012. She was born in Springdale, Ark., on Sept. 6, 1931, to Alph and Minnie Beasley. She graduated from Springdale High School in 1947, then earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas. In 1953, at the age of 21, she earned her LLB from the School of Law at the UofA, as the only woman and youngest student in her class. Norma continued her education in real estate and business at SMU in Dallas, passed the Texas bar exam in 1958 and was permitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court. After several years of teaching law and real estate at SMU, she founded in 1965, her first abstract and title company. She later built, one by one, a string of title companies in eight Texas counties as well as buying the Dallas branch of a national chain, Safeco Title Insurance Co., in 1978. At this time, her firm represented the largest group of independent title insurance agencies nationwide, owned by a woman. In 1984, she was chosen by NBC Today Show as one of America's Most Outstanding Business Women. Norma also served on boards of many organizations and was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. She was presented a Distinguished Alumni Award from the UofA, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the entrance hall of the law school was named in her honor. She founded three scholarships at the UofA in business, law and women's basketball. Norma was not only generous to the utmost, but she lived her Christian faith, demonstrating her love for people, especially her family, maintaining integrity and utterly the kindest, most gracious person you would ever know. Norma is survived by her family in Springdale: sister, Imogene Mayse; nephew, Roddy Mayse; niece, Vickie Murphy; great-niece, Taylor Murphy; great-niece, Meghan Murphy and her fiance, Corey Williams, and their daughter, Delaney Williams. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. today, April 28, at Cross Church in Springdale, Johnson Road, room N-133.