Bobbie Ruth Norris

With heavy hearts, the husband, family and loved ones of Ruth Norris wish to inform our friends, distant family and community that her brave and inspiring life has completed this chapter and moved on to the next. Graveside services will be held 2 PM Saturday, June 11th at Murray Cemetery in Carbon, Texas. The family will accept friends from 10 AM to 1 PM Saturday at Edwards Funeral Home of Eastland.

Bobbie Ruth (Presley) Norris was born April 26, 1964 and passed on June 8, 2016 at the age of 52.

"Ruthie" was one of the hardest working individuals we know. She began working at the age of 14 and retired from her first career as Assistant Restaurant Manager of the Krystal Burger restaurant in Cordele, Georgia next to the big "rocket." During her 20yrs serving those tasty little burgers to travelers along I-75, she met "that Texas boy in that red Jeep" named Mike Norris. After many years of Texan gentlemanly courtship, or something to that effect, the two were married on September 11, 1993. Their only daughter, Sherrie Irene Renae Norris, was born on November 25, 1994 after a memorable Thanksgiving meal.

The young family moved to Eastland, Texas in the fall of 2000 and Ruthie quickly adopted Eastland as her new home. She taught briefly as a substitute teacher with the EISD before being hired as the Assistant Manager of the Goodwill of West Texas Eastland store location. She immediately began winning over our Texas hearts with her undeniable South Georgia Peach smile and joyful personality. Ruthie was later promoted to Store Manager and over time she became recognized within the Abilene-based Goodwill organization for her genuine hospitality and well treatment of her customers...bringing smiles to people's faces and making lasting friendships with donors and shoppers alike.

In October of 2009, Ruthie was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease and kidney failure.

Not willing to be slowed down by ESRD and weekly dialysis treatments in Abilene, Ruthie continued working full time at Goodwill and began to help raise awareness for the need of a more locally accessible dialysis facility. She continued to meet with local hospital officials and civic leaders even after receiving a Kidney/Pancreas dual-organ transplant in January of 2011. Her transplanted organs failed a year and a half later and she went back on weekly dialysis treatments in July of 2012.

During that time, Ruthie championed efforts to bring a dialysis center to Eastland and her story was featured in local news media and television stations. She was prepared to speak at the grand opening of the Eastland Dialysis Center but before the official opening could take place, Ruthie suffered a heart attack in October 2012. After she was released from the hospital she received a tearful reception at Goodwill of West Texas headquarters in Abilene when she announced she would be leaving Goodwill to focus her energies on dialysis awareness and work more closely with her husband, Mike, in their home-based business.

A week after leaving Goodwill, on November 1, 2012, Ruthie survived a massive stroke.

After months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Ruthie finally came home to Eastland. Paralized and bound to a wheelchair, Ruthie was one of the first MEDICARE dialysis patients to be accepted and treated at the Eastland Dialysis Center in early 2013...the facility she helped in many ways to bring to our community.

Even after the stroke, Ruthie continued to be a hard worker, joyful personality and inspiration. Over the years she left lasting memories with healthcare professionals from Hendricks Medical Center in Abilene all the way to Baylor All Saints in Fort Worth. Her case sometimes became the discussion of student nurses and staff and her positive outlook while facing a multitude of medical issues was almost always unwavering and constant. While at home, she worked hard to improve her mobility and speech function with routine physical, occupational and speech therapy sessions.

She was trying to get to the point that she could walk for their daughter's wedding planned for the summer of 2016. In the weeks prior to her passing she was reaching her goals by walking up to 50 and 75 feet using a walker and with assistance.

She will be remembered not only as a loving mother and wife by all her friends and family, but also as a strong willed, independent woman who was a fighter to the very last and her joyful smile will be missed by countless members of our community and extended family, in Texas and in Georgia.

Ruthie is survived by her Husband, Michael Walton Norris of Eastland, Tx; Daughter, Sherrie Irene Renae Norris and almost-soon-to-be son-in-law, John David Hamilton of Midland, Tx; Niece, Beth Touchton Hale of Tallahassee, Fl; Great Nieces, Brooke & Kaleigh; Step Brother, Roger and wife Donna Goodman of Cordele, Ga; Step Sister, Debbie and husband Ricky Deloach of Byromville, Ga and many, many aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members.

Ruthie was preceded in death by her Mother, Irene Presley; Father, Floyd "Turtle" Presley; Brother, Randy Presley; Sister, Marie (Presley) Touchton; and Step-Mother, Pauline Presley.

Thoughts and prayers are welcomed via Ruthie's support page at www.PeachyTurtle.org .