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Note: N49 Norman Charles Walther
“Plug”
December 18, 1923-May 30, 2012
Norman Charles “Plug” Walther, 88 of Chumuckla, FL passed away May 30, 2012. A lifelong resident of Santa Rosa County, FL, Norman was the devoted husband of the late Grace McCoy Walther. Norman was also a devoted and loving father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather. Norman was a 1943 graduate of Allentown School, after graduation he enlisted into the U.S. Army and became a medic. Following his time in the Army, with much encouragement from his siblings, he enrolled in the University of Florida and graduated with a degree in Agriculture. He began his teaching career in agriculture at Chumuckla High School, Norman’s great love for gardening and growing crops was always a great joy to him. Even in the summer of 2012 Norman was still growing vegetables, not only for family, but neighbors. This was something he had done all his life. Norman also enjoyed the plant nursery he established in order to educate people on the methods of growing and the different varieties of shrubs and trees. He instilled the love of farming to many students while teaching at Chumuckla High.
Norman was the eighth child out of ten who were born to the late Will and Nancy Walther; he was also preceded in death by a daughter, Martha Levins, granddaughter, Alisa and three sister in laws, Geneva Lynn, Sula Fulford and Judy Knight .
He survived all of his siblings and reigned at the last several Walther reunions as the patriarch of the family, or as some of us put it, “The King of the Hill”; Carrie Lee Walther Carpenter, James Walther, Woodrow Walther, Gordon Walther, Lester Walther, Cecil Walther, Emma Walther Zarahn, Irene Walther Blaisdell and Earl Walther; Norman is survived by his children; Marie (Wayne) Goddard, Jack (Eddnie) Walther, Jane (David) Chavers and Jean Kirkland; grandchildren, Michele, Chris, Jennifer, Marcia, Stacey, Tim, C.J., Josh, and Jonathan; great grandchildren, Caden, Annie, Mickey, Morgan, Mason, Mia, and Macy; two sister in laws, Alice Myers and Catherine Redford of GA and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM Saturday, June 2, 2012 at Lewis Funeral Home, Milton Chapel with Rev. Wayne Blocker officiating and Ann Walther Sprague officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until time of service. Burial will follow at Coldwater Community Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Norman’s grandsons, Tim, Chris, Jonathan, C.J., Joshua and Keith and Clark Harris. Honorary Pallbearers will be Norman’s granddaughters, Michele, Jennifer, Marcia and Stacey and Billy Walther, Dennis Walther, Kenneth Harris, Willard Davis and close family and friends.
-------------------------------------------------------------- Paw Paw Plug by Marcia Baxley Bennett
He was known by lots of names And he answered to them all Norman, Plug, or Mr. Walther But to me he was "Paw Paw" He was a man of many trades And just to name a few He was a roofer and a teacher And on Sundays a preacher, too But I'll always know my Paw Paw As the man who grew plants In a uniform of a white T-shirt And an old pair of khaki pants I loved weekends in Chumuckla And, by far, my favorite part Was getting a Sunkist from the fridge And riding on the golf kart He'd take me through the nursery And chauffeur me around While he told me about the newest seeds He had planted in the ground He took me to the orchard Where I could barely reach One branch of the tree That held a single juicy peach I noticed the other branches Were strained beneath the weight Of the heavy burden of fruit That had ripened a little late He picked the peaches from this branch first Although I didn't understand Why we didn't pick them from the sparser branch That was closer to my hand He said this branch has too much sweetness Just too much fruit to bear Let's just take one peach This branch has many to spare God picked Himself a peach today But there's no need to despair He left us plenty of sweetness With strength enough to bear Now Paw Paw is up in Heaven Tending carefully to God's plants And toiling about with a serenity That only He can grant When the azaleas bloom in the spring And when the leaves change in the fall I'll take comfort in the fact That Paw Paw helped grow them all For Norman "Plug" Walther Horticulturist and grandfather extraordinaire May 30, 2012
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