Ralph Reynard Norman, Jr., age 87, a resident of Fort Deposit, AL, died at Crowne Nursing Home, Greenville, AL, on Monday, April 13, 2015. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Deposit, AL, with the Rev. Josh Price and Rev. Eric Jackson officiating. The family will receive friends immediately after the service at the church. Dunklin & Daniels Funeral Home of Greenville, AL, directing.

Mr. Norman was preceded in death by his daughter, Patricia Ann Norman, his parents, Ralph Reynard Norman, Sr., and Esther Dunn Norman, and by his brother, William Alexander Norman. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Iris Little Norman, two daughters, Rose Norman, of Huntsville, AL, and Mary Huff (Van), of Fort Deposit, AL, a son, Reyn Norman (Helen), of Montgomery, AL, grandchildren Alice Warren (Andrew), of Mobile, AL, Amy Blackmon, of Greenville, AL, Ralph Norman (Brittany), of Birmingham, AL, and Jessie Langford, of Fort Deposit, AL, great-grandchildren Mitch Blackmon, Mary Claire Warren, and Emmaline Warren, sister, Siddie Mae Norman, of Alex City, AL, sister-in-law, Daisy Norman, of Greenville, AL, brothers, Dave Norman (Shirley), of Clanton, AL, John Norman (Genie), of Fort Deposit, AL, and Pete Norman (Delnora), of Fairhope, AL, and a number of nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be his grandson, Ralph Reynard Norman, IV, his grandson-in-law, Andrew Wesley Warren, his nephews, James Ralph Norman and John Dara Norman, and deacons Eric Ellis and Walter Nolan. Honorary pallbearers are the other deacons of Bethel Baptist Church.

Mr. Norman was raised in Fort Deposit and attended Lowndes County High School through tenth grade. At the age of 16 he enrolled in Marion Military Institute, where he completed his final high school requirements in one year, graduating in 1945. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Commerce from the University of Alabama in 1949.
After graduation he returned to Fort Deposit to work in his father's business, Norman Trading and Milling Company. Upon his father's retirement in 1968, he became president of the business, remaining so until it closed in 1982.

Mr. Norman served as the Fort Deposit volunteer Fire Chief for many years and became a member of the Town Council in 1976, selected by the council to fill the seat left vacant by the death of his father. In 1979, when the office of mayor became vacant, the council selected him for the position, which he held until 1992, having faced no opposition in three straight elections. He was selected "Man of the Year" by the Chamber of Commerce on three separate occasions . He served many years on the South Central Alabama Development Council, including several years as its chairman.
Mr. Norman was a very active member of Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Deposit, where he served as deacon since the age of 21. He was teacher of the Couples class for about 40 years, and was a long-time member of the choir. He loved Brotherhood breakfast, especially making the biscuits. For many years he annually went with the church on mission building trips all across the US, even as far as Bend, Oregon. He was also active in the Montgomery Baptist Association and Alabama Baptist State Convention, serving twice was Chairman of the Baptist Foundation of Alabama.

After his business closed in 1982, Mr. Norman became active in the local AARP chapter. In 1984 he became a teacher of the AARP's "55 Alive" defensive driving course and was also appointed as area coordinator for AARP's state housing committee. In 1986 he was coordinator for their Health Advisory Service and served many years as the State Coordinator of the "55 Alive" program. He was named to Alabama's Senior Citizen Hall of Fame in 1990 and was elected to the "Silver Haired Legislature" in 1994. As a part of his work with AARP, he began to lobby the Alabama Legislature to pass a law designed to encourage senior citizens to take a defensive driving course by requiring insurers to offer a discount for those completing such a course. His determination paid off in 2000, when the Legislature finally passed the law.

Even with all these activities, Mr. Norman still found time for leisure. Mr. and Mrs. Norman were avid bridge players, participating in a weekly duplicate bridge club for nearly 60 years. Mr. Norman and his brother Alex were also model airplane enthusiasts, a hobby they rekindled in retirement. He loved to cook and was well-known locally for his sourdough bread, and within the family for his banana pancakes. But perhaps his greatest enjoyment came when entertaining his four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Bethel Baptist Church, PO Box 261, Fort Deposit, AL 36032.