Norma Jean Hylton Mullins, 80, entered the Lord's Kingdom on May 25, 2015 after a short but courageously faced illness. She never expressed bitterness with the unsuspected diagnosis and her display of faith provided comfort and peace to her family and friends.
Mrs. Mullins, a native of Wise County, Virginia, was the widow of Stickley M. Mullins since his death in November of 1996. Norma was widely known as "Ma-Maw" and "Normie" to her grandchildren and their friends.
Her professional career centered around the church. She was the Church Secretary at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Western Branch from 1976 until 1982, and served in the same capacity at Monumental United Methodist Church, Portsmouth, from 1982 until retiring in 2004. She cherished the many relationships developed during these years of service.
Norma is survived by two sons, Bryan Mullins (Denise) of Suffolk, and Randal Mullins (Teri) of Chesapeake. Additionally she has four grandchildren, Austen, Jayme, Lauren, and Abby, all of whom lived locally from the time they were born until the present time. Her involvement and participation in their lives was a blessing to Norma and the grandchildren. She is also survived by four great-grandchildren, again, all of which have lived locally, thus allowing Norma many opportunities to participate in the lives of yet another family generation. Additional survivors include two sisters, Cleo Dingus of Castlewood, Va., and Betty Roberts of Abingdon, Va. Norma also had a wonderful relationship with her nieces and nephews: Shirley, Ronnie, Roger, Virginia, and Kim, all of whom she cared for as if they were her own children. Norma was predeceased by her parents, Theodore "Ted" Hylton and Verna T. Hylton. Norma drew much support and happiness from her fellow members of Aldersgate UMC and especially enjoyed camaraderie with fellow members of her Golden Rule Sunday School Class. She cherished and flourished in the friendships she developed at the church. Norma had a very "special friend", Peggy Sawyer with whom she has "ran around with" for nearly four and a half decades.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 30th, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service. Entombment will be in Meadowbrook Mausoleum, Suffolk. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Aldersgate United Methodist Church Bus Fund, 4320 Bruce Rd. Chesapeake, VA 23321. Foster Funeral Home, Portsmouth is handling arrangements. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.