Norma Louise Gafford

Norma Louise Gafford

Corpus Christi - Norma Louise Gafford, born on May 11, 1948 to George Byron and Grace Elizabeth (Nall) Moore, passed away on Thursday, December 3, 2020.

She is survived by Robin Dilelio, Jason Gafford, two grandchildren, Devan and Riley Dilelio and husband, Ron Smith. Her brother, Alan preceded her in death.

She attended W.W. Samuell High School, Dallas, and earned a BA at Howard Payne University. She retired as a teacher at Odem ISD. For years she taught pre-kinder, but ended her career, teaching art at the high school, thus instructing some students in their first and last year of schooling. She was an accomplished artist, working in divergent mediums, making silver jewelry, and blowing glass beads. A member of the Port Aransas Art Center serving on its BOD. She co-founded the Treehouse Art Collective. Norma loved the water, she was a skilled scuba diver, and an avid sailor. She sailed on the Nina and owned her own sailboat, Cool Change. Norma loved her critters, she always had some type of pet around the house. Volunteering was a large part of her life, diving at the Aquarium, working with stranded dolphins and patrolling beaches looking for nesting turtles for the ARK. She graduated from the CCPD Civilian Police Academy. She and Ron were married in Havana and also toured Europe. The Port Aransas Art Center is accepting donations in her memory.