Elizabeth Joyce Norman Sanford

Elizabeth Joyce Norman Sanford, age 94, died Feb. 19, 2013, in Fayetteville, Ark., where she resided for the past 39 years. Elizabeth was born in Nashville, Ark., on Nov. 26, 1918, to parents James and Mollie Norman. She was the youngest of their five children. Elizabeth attended public schools in Hermanville, Miss., Houston, Texas, and Lincolnton, N.C. After graduating from Lincolnton High School in 1936, she attended Geyer Business College in Charlotte, N.C. Her first job took her to Gastonia, N.C. as an executive secretary at a local textile plant, Carter Mills. While in Gastonia, she met her future husband, Charlie, in the spring of 1942 at a dance in the Gastonia Armory Building. The dance was sponsored by the Beta Sigma Business Women's Society, of which Elizabeth was president at the time. Charlie was from New Orleans, La., and his army unit was training at a camp nearby. Charlie proposed on their third date and they were married Dec. 12, 1942, in Lincolnton. In 1952, Elizabeth (known as Lib) was blessed with a job that lasted 21 years as the secretary of First Baptist Church in Lincolnton. Three years after Charlie passed away in 1970, she and son David moved to Fayetteville, Ark., where her daughter, Janice, and her husband resided. In Fayetteville, Elizabeth was secretary of the First Christian Church for 18 years. She made many wonderful friends at both churches. At First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Elizabeth was a member and office holder in the LOA (Love One Another) Sunday School class. She spent many enjoyable days with these ladies both inside and outside of class-related activities. She also was a longtime member of the Order of Eastern Star, beginning in Lincolnton and continuing in Fayetteville. Elizabeth enjoyed traveling. She took numerous trips with friends and her sister, Margaret. She collected decorative mugs, pottery and hand-made baskets on these trips as treasured reminders of places visited. Survivors are daughter, Janice S. Scott of Raleigh, N.C.; son, David C. Sanford (and wife, Janice) of Fayetteville; grandchildren, Michael D. Scott (Amy) of Durham, N.C., Mark F. Scott of Raleigh, N.C., Staci S. Rankin (Stan) and Jason R. Sanford of Springdale, Ark., and Damon C. Sanford (Christi) of Fayetteville; half-brother, James S. "Mickey" Norman Jr. (Marian) of Houston, Texas; seven great-grandchildren of Springdale; and loving nieces and nephews. Elizabeth was predeceased by her parents, James Stanford Norman II and Mollie Foster Brevard; stepfather, John D. Brevard; husband, Charles Feaster Sanford Jr.; siblings, Mollie Rayburn Cobb, Randolph S. Norman, Mildred Klinetop and Margaret McLean; half-brother, Horace S. Norman; and son-in-law, H. Don Scott. The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the North Hills Life Care and Rehab staff for their friendship and dedication to Elizabeth's care during the past six years. A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 22 at First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, with family visitation afterwards in the North Building. Arrangements are by Moore's Chapel. Burial will be in Hollybrook Cemetery, Lincolnton, NC. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1324, Fayetteville, AR 72701-13224; or to a charity of your choice. To sign the online guest book, visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.