05/10/2024
Nomie Gerld Smith passed away on May 8, 2024, at 10:00 PM from renal failure at Nacogdoches Medical Center at the age of 85.
Nomie Gerld was born on August 26, 1938, in the town of Olla in La Salle Parish, Louisiana. The first home that Nomie lived in as a child had no running water and no electricity. As a small child her favorite day of the week was wash day. Her mama would heat water on a wood burning stove, pour the water in a large tub and use a rub board to clean the clothes. Nomie would help. In her latter years looking back, she realized her family had been poor but she felt they never wanted for anything. Most of the family’s years in La Salle Parish were spent in the town of Tullos.
The Norsworthy family moved to Arcadia, Louisiana in the summer of 1955. Nomie began her Junior year of high school, where she met the love of her life Gerald Smith who was in his senior year of high school. During her high school days Nomie was a majorette, played in the marching band, and was voted homecoming queen in her senior year. She and Gerald were married on September 21, 1957 and would have been married 67 years this coming September.
Nomie loved flowers and gardening, and delighted in watching things bloom and grow. She was an avid genealogy researcher and enjoyed traveling. Family was the most important thing to Nomie. Her greatest joy was found in her family and spending time with them. She loved to talk about the trips they had been on, her childhood, and the crazy things she did with her grandkids. She loved music and enjoyed listening to records, especially recordings of Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdink, and Neil Diamond. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed making food for her family as well as trying out new recipes.
Nomie was a firm believer in Jesus Christ, and she wanted to share that with everyone else. She always wanted to share Christ’s love with everyone she met. She was a member of Good Hope Baptist church for 15 years and loved her home church dearly. A bright light, her joy was contagious and drew people to her. She embodied these qualities: gentleness, kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness, and she loved both fiercely and deeply.
Survived by:
Husband, Gerald Lagene Smith
Sons:
Brett (Carol) Smith
Scotty (Lesa) Smith
Daughter, Cindy (Todd) Bush
Nine grandchildren:
Katie (Jason)
Kayla
Tyler
Lauren (Drew)
Leah (Keene)
Jared, Caleb
Maggie (Brandon)
Deanne (Nathan)
Two great-grandchildren:
Kallie
Sloane
Preceded in death by: Father Henry Homer Norsworthy and Mother Maggie Gertrude Riley as well as her sisters Helen Norsworthy (Ganey) and Margarie Norsworthy (Richey), brother Arnold Norsworthy, grandson Mason Riley, and son-in-law Todd Bush.
