Norma Jean Gilbert

Norma Jean Gilbert Norma Gilbert Norma Jean Gilbert, a beloved teacher, friend, and matriarch, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Beehive Home in Hobbs, Lea, New Mexico, after a full life dedicated to love and faith mixed with spunk and spice. She was 79. Norma was born on June 28, 1946, in Raton, Colfax, New Mexico, to Clyde and Mary (Segotta) Williston. She married the love of her life, Randy Gilbert, in 1973, and they shared many wonderful years together until his death in 2012. Norma was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Dixie (Williston) Auker, who passed away in 2007. A Life of Teaching and Lasting Connections for Norma, the path of a teacher was a lifelong calling. She dedicated over 30 years to the classroom, shaping young minds with dedication and passion. As she often wrote, “Teaching was my only goal in life since my first day of kindergarten. During the 30+ years of teaching for the schools I touched many lives and received the satisfaction of preparing them to be functioning individuals in our society.” Her commitment to her students extended far beyond the school year. “I told every class that once you were in my class, you were always one of mine. What a joy it is to meet these students as adults and to see their successes.” Even in her final weeks, her devotion to education shone through, as she, in her spicy way, encouraged good attitudes, strong work ethics, and shared historical knowledge with those around her. A Walk of Faith and Love Norma’s life was defined by a boundless capacity for friendship and a deep, personal faith that was woven into her everyday conversations. She famously said, “My friends were a way of witnessing God’s love for others. We often spread a smile on a stranger’s face as we passed them in our activities.” Norma truly didn’t know a stranger, and her lovely friends were a visible testament to her heart. Her children witnessed the depth of this love, especially as her earthly life drew to a close, noting that even on her deathbed, she tried to rise to visit with friends who came to see her. Her faith was foundational, built upon a foundation formed in her youth. “Church, I hate to say, was not always the greatest teacher of my faith, but it gave me a foundation to build my strong belief in the Lord in the daily events of life.” She valued God's church as a gathering of believers, transcending mere denomination, and was known to speak openly about God in a casual, non-preachy way—it was simply like the air she breathed. She championed love, consideration, kindness, respect, and forgiveness over strict doctrines, yet was humble enough to point out the difficulty of those aspirations for imperfect humans, including herself. Norma credited the Order of Rainbow for Girls with deepening her understanding of her faith in her teenage years, recalling how the organization stressed loving others, God, nature, patriotism, and service. She wrote: “I learned about faith and the walk with God in the garden. I experienced the teachings of the Bible in this organization, and it has always had a special place in my heart.” Family Legacy Norma is survived by her loving children and grandchildren: her stepdaughter Kerri (Gilbert) Thurston of Los Alamos, NM; her daughter Mindy (Gilbert) Treybal of Fairbanks, AK; and her son Kirk Gilbert of Hobbs, NM. She was a devoted grandmother to Luke, Emma, and Mary Treybal, all of Fairbanks, AK. A Message for Her Loved Ones Norma leaves behind a final, vital request for her family, friends, and former students: to continue in her footsteps, a walk of faith and love. “I have loved you and I ask that you pass that love on to your family, friends, and your community because that’s what really matters.” Her final thought, and greatest wish, was for all who knew her: “My last thought that I would like to leave with you…. Be happy and not sorrowful that I have passed. I am with my Father and many others that I’ve known in my lifetime. Joy comes with seeing the positive in life’s events. God always ends each event on a positive note, just as we should. Have trust in the Lord, and then, there will be no fear!” In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Norma’s memory by passing a smile to a stranger or expressing an act of kindness in your community.