Norma Knowles

Funeral service for Norma Knowles, 84, of Chickasha, Oklahoma will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, December 20, 2007 at the First Baptist Church of Chickasha. Reverend Luke Harris, grandson, will be officiating.Norma Knowles was born February 28, 1923, five miles northeast of Chickasha on the Pruner family farm, the daughter of Charles Beaver and Cynthia Payne (Anderson) Pruner and died Sunday, December 16, 2007 in Chickasha.Norma grew up on the family farm and attended school at Amber. After graduating from Amber High School, she moved to Oklahoma City to attend business college. During World War II, she was employed at Tinker Air Force Base. She and Gaylord Knowles were married while he was on leave from service in the Army Air Corps. After the war, they made their home in Chickasha, Oklahoma, where they raised their five children.Norma participated in every area of her children’s lives, including school and extra-curricular activities. Her wisdom, love and kind nature were instilled in her children and passed to her grandchildren and great grandchildren as a legacy of her life. Norma took great pleasure in sharing her home with her daughter, Becky, and her granddaughters, Candice and Danielle, who resided with her until her death.She worked at various positions in the Chickasha community, including the offices of the Grady County Treasurer and Dr. Joseph Swan. Following the death of her husband, she continued to operate the family business, Knowles Auto Service, with her son, Dan, until her retirement.Norma was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church for over fifty years. She taught training union, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School and participated in WMU activities. She was proud of her Native American ancestry and was a member of the Delaware Nation. She served as a selfless example to all she taught, giving of herself in time, talent and resources.She was preceded in death by:Her parents; Her husband, Gaylord Knowles; Seven brothers: Pat, C.B., Walter, Jim, Blake, Jess and Bob Pruner; Two sisters: Waneta Pruner and Wanda Byram.Survivors include:Five children: Linda Sevier and husband, Larry, of Chickasha; Pamela Harris and husband, Mike, of Chickasha; Claudia Winham of Chickasha; Becky Knowles of the home; Dan Knowles of Chickasha; Eight grandchildren: Todd Sevier of Chickasha; April Kile and husband, Jeff, of Chickasha; Shane Harris and wife, Tracie, of Chickasha; Rev. Luke Harris and wife, Ladonna, of Sumter, SC; Candice and Danielle Knowles of the home; Jason and Derick Knowles of Chickasha; Great-grandchildren: Jeremy, Austin and Brayden Kile; Alyssa and Nicholas Harris and Sydney Harris, expected in May, 2008; Two brothers: Harold Pruner and wife, Ann, of Ponte Verde Beach, FL; Bill Pruner and wife, Jody, of Shawnee; Numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.Interment will be in the Fairlawn Cemetery under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home.