Norma Clinton Smith

Norma Clinton Smith

Norma Clinton Smith passed away Sunday, June 16th, 2024 at Canterfield Assisted Living in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Born August 4, 1925 in Pulaski County, Indiana, she was the fourth of five daughters of the late James Daniel and Clara Belle Collins. Her mother died when Norma was three. Her oldest sister Leila Phae helped raise her four sisters while their dad worked on the farm. Norma graduated from Monon High School even though she had no books. Times were very hard and she recalled she had no lunch except when she could pick an apple from a tree near the school. She sang in the high school chorus. Norma worked at the railroad shortly during the war. She married Charles M. Clinton in 1953. She volunteered as a Brownie Leader, a Pink Lady at the hospital, and as church youth leader in different towns as DuPont transferred her husband many times during his career. They moved to Chattanooga in 1970. She was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for over 46 years. She was very thrifty all her life and was able to provide their daughter Carole, and grandchildren with the educational opportunities that she had not had for herself. She loved playing bridge, golf, growing plants and bonsai trees, and entertaining family and friends. In 1986 she made a hole-in-one on the 17th hole at Creeks Bend in the Stroh Lovers Tournament. Fourteen years later she made a second hole-in-one at the same place. After Chuck’s death in 1985, she married Orville Richard Smith in 1988.

Norma and Richard traveled extensively in United States and to 66 countries. Because of declining health, Richard moved into a care facility in 2006 where Norma visited him daily to provide companionship for seven years prior to his passing in 2013. In 2010 Norma moved to Creekside Retirement Community in Chattanooga. At Creekside she was the welcome lady for new residents, and participated in the many activities and musical performances. She was an avid and skilled bridge player and accomplished dancer. She moved to Canterfield of Oak Ridge in 2015 to live near her daughter and son-in-law. She fully participated in all the activities of Canterfield. She attended First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge and the New York Avenue Church of Christ at Canterfield on Sunday evenings. Norma’s motto was “live, love, laugh, dance, and be happy”. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

She was proceeded in death by infant son John Martin, Charles M. Clinton of Hixson, Orville Richard Smith of Hixson, sisters Maxine Elden, Leila Phae Boller, Phyllis Burrow, Madge Floren, stepdaughter Casey Austin, and grandson Clayton Daniel Evans.

She is survived by daughter Carole (Richard) Evans, grandson Nathaniel (Amy) Clinton Evans of Woodstock, Ga and their children Mckinley and Chase and granddaughter Ashley Elizabeth Evans of Seattle, and sons Owen and Sawyer. She is also survived by stepchildren Christine Smith of Crestone, Co., Dr. Richard (Ruth) Smith of Knoxville, TN, their daughters Dr. Casey Smith (Cliff Costello) of Denver, CO, and Dr. Barbara Smith of St. Louis, MO, Connie Smith (Paul Wheeler) of Houston, TX, and granddaughter Sandy Smith (Ty Cobb) of Frenchburg, KY. She was loved by numerous nieces and nephews spread across the United States.

The family would like to thank Dr. Daniel LeNoir and Rebecca Marlow, the staff of Canterfield and U.T. Hospice nurses for excellent care.

Celebration of Life will be held at Canterfield Assisted Living, 200 Bus Terminal Road, at 2:30 pm on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Pastor Denna Hornby, Pastor Ken Sauer and Josh Sumter of First United Methodist Church will officiate. Norma will be interned at Chattanooga National Cemetery in a private service. The family request in lieu of flowers that please send donations to WWW.StJude.org or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Inc. 262 Danny Thomas Pl. Memphis, TN. 38105-3678.