Rhonda Mae Norton

Rhonda Mae Norton, 94, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, July 9, 2023, in Amarillo, Texas. Services will be conducted by Cox Rowley Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held on July 12, 2023, at 2:00 PM, in the Chapel of Hillside Christian Church located at 6100 S. Soncy with Lisa Bradshaw officiating. Burial will be at Llano East Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 – 7:00 PM on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at Cox- Rowley Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Drive.

Rhonda was born May 12, 1929, to Ethel Oden Hughes and Frank Hughes in Reed, Oklahoma. She was raised in the Mangum, Oklahoma area. The family included two siblings. She was raised in a loving, Godly home, learning to work hard and help with the needs of family life during the depression. She graduated from Centralvue High School.

As a young adult, she and her friend, Catherine, formed a group called the Sunshine Girls. They traveled the Mangum and Altus area singing at churches. They sang on the radio and recorded their music. Rhonda also worked as a switchboard operator. She went to work at a diner and met the love of her life, W. L. "Dub" Norton. They were married May 6, 1951, in Mangum Oklahoma. A daughter, Debra Louise Norton was born on April 3, 1954. A son, Grant Avery Norton was born August 27, 1964. Thus, she started her most important career, as a wife and mother.

The family later moved to Borger Texas where Dub Norton worked in the Parts Department of a car dealership and Rhonda maintained the home. Dub won a national contest while he was employed in Borger and the prize was a vacation to the Bahamas. Later, they moved to Pampa, where Dub managed the Parts Department and Rhonda eventually went to work for the Pampa Water Department until she retired.

They joined the Carpenter's Church shortly after it was formed. As a faithful couple, they were installed as Deacons, serving on the board for 20 plus years. Rhonda served with the Ladies Ministries, cooking for funerals and fellowship meals, helping clean the building and as a mature woman of the Word inspired the young women of the church.

Rhonda was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, W. L. "Dub" Norton; her son, Grant Norton; a grandson Tyler Carr; her brother Ferrel Hughes; and her sister, Wanda Buchanan.

Survivors include her daughter, Debbie Carr of Amarillo; four grandchildren, Kresha Norton and fiancé Miguel Morales, Tre Norton and wife Emily; Kelci Whatley and husband Ryan all of Amarillo, and Dana Messer and husband Tyler of Oklahoma; and eight great-grandchildren, Baux Martinez, Adrian Morales, Cobin Morales, Mali Bryan, Nash Messer, Kameron Johnson, Sophia Whatley and Teagan Norton.