Norman Ralph Gass

Norman Ralph Gass

Died: October 10, 2025

After a full life lived in high gear, Norman Ralph Gass has gone home to be with the Lord. Though Alzheimer's took hold in his later years, he maintained his spark and his stubborn streak throughout.

A lifelong truck driver, Norman found joy in the open road had a love for cars, motorcycles, diamonds, and guns. He never met a deal he didn't try to haggle. He lived hard and loved big. He was an imperfect man with a heart as wide as the highway and a fondness for Budweiser that never wavered. May everyone remember him driving fast, wind in his face with an ear to ear grin. We will carry on his stories, his grit, and his gift of doing things in a less conventional way.

Norman was born the same year that the Baileyton High School building was erected and has specifically requested we not share his age. He is survived by his two daughters, Cindy Sayler (Gregg) and Mollie Gass Bauer (Walker); five grandchildren (Seth and Ian Sayler and Andrew, Charlie and Henry Bauer); and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Georgia and Oscar Gass, and his brother Harold Dean "Hoss"-no doubt the three were waiting with open arms and a lively conversation when he arrived.

A special thank you to Celisa and Danny Peters, who are angels on earth for helping care for Norman with such love and kindness. With Cindy in Texas and Mollie in Nashville, their devotion brought peace and comfort to both daughters, and their care meant the world. The family would also like to express their deep gratitude to the staff and caregivers at Brookdale Assisted Living and Greeneville Community Hospital for ensuring Norman's final days were filled with compassion, laughter, and dignity.

While he will be missed dearly, we find comfort knowing his mind is clear again, his heart is light, and he's probably already haggling over the price of his new set of heavenly wheels.

A celebration of Norman's life will be held at Doughty-Stevens Funeral Home from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 12th. He will be laid to rest at GreeneLawn Memory Gardens. In his honor, crack open a Bud, tell a tall tale, and remember him with a smile-he'd want it that way.

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." - 2 Corinthians 4:16