Norman Barron Cates Obituary
Norman Barron Cates was born January 19, 1927 in San Antonio, Texas, to Alewine Barron Cates and Mattie April Duke Cates. He entered into heaven at 12:00pm on July 22, 2022, in LaRue, Texas.
Norman lived in San Antonio, Texas during his early years and graduated from Brackenridge High School early so he could join the U.S. Navy and enter WW2 to serve his country. While he was in the Navy, his sister and stepmom met a neighbor in Dallas, Texas, named Ruth Shraer, who had a daughter named Lillian Coulter. They volunteered Lillian to write to Norman while he was deployed. Their letters progressed from pen pal letters to love letters over the course of 18 months. In fact, Norman became so anxious to meet Lillian that while at port in USA he even took a trolly train from the West Coast to meet her in Dallas, Texas area. It was said his Sargent had him under watch as he returned to port a little late. But Norman felt she was worth it. And he was right, she was!
After Norman's 22 month tour he was honorably discharged and then moved to the Dallas, Texas area where he lived with his parents, planned his future, and continued to date Lillian.
On July 3, 1947, Norman married Lillian, and together they raised three daughters: Cynthia, Marilyn, and Rebecca. Norman was hired by Vought Corporation and the family moved to Grand Prairie, Texas. Norman worked for Vought for over 2 decades. During that time Norman and Lillian moved to Eustace, Texas, in Dixie Isle, at Cedar Creek Lake, where they lived in their dream home for more than 25 more years. They each retired while living there. Then they moved to Waxahachie, Texas where they lived in their garden home another 20 years.
Norman and Lillian were faithful members of Bethel Temple Assembly of God in Dallas, Texas then Calvary Temple Athens, Texas then University Assembly Waxahachie, Texas and lastly, First Assembly Waxahachie, Texas. They were part of the founders of Straight Arrow Camp from Bethel Temple in the 1950s, where they were both counselors for over 20 years. Norman was fondly known as “Ski Daddy Norman” for those years. He taught hundreds of children about the Lord and to water ski.
Norman is preceded in death by his parents, Mattie April Duke Cates, Alewine B. Cates, and Katherine Cates, his sister, Betty Cates Christy, his great grandson, Dustin Beck, his youngest daughter, Rebecca Lorraine Cates, and his lovely wife, Lillian Louise Cates.
Norman leaves behind his daughters Cynthia Dingler (George), and Marilyn Cerna (Javier), his Grandchildren Joy Beckham Smith, Selanya Beckham (Jerry), Jennifer Dickson (Davis), Shannon Brown (William), Melissa Beck (James), Elizabeth Monica Veaux (George), Nadia Bowman (Christopher), and Joshua Chandler (Ericka), his great-grandchildren Ashley Zajac (William), Matthew Smith, Tyler Sunde (Era), Brittany Miller (Brandon), Justine Featherston (Justin), Sean Sunde (Jocelyne), Haley Smith (John), Brannon Henrie, Nicholas Yaws, Darien Henrie, Blazer Beck, Joseph Smith, Maxine Beck, Jadon Henrie, Jeremiah Bowman, Liliana Bowman, and Chelsea Chandler, and at least 11 great-great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to straightarrowcamp.org or silverserenaders.org
Visitation will begin at 10:00 am and funeral service will begin at 11:00 am, both on July 27th 2022 at Jeter and Son Funeral Home, 332 Cedar Street, Cedar Hill, Texas 75104. Burial will be at DFW National Cemetery, Wednesday, August 3, 2022.
