Mrs. Norma Elizabeth Hawthorn

Norma Elizabeth Hawthorn, nee Paderas, died peacefully on September 21, 2025, surrounded by her family, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was born in Beaumont, Texas, on April 3, 1942, to Margaret Kopke Paderas and Theodore Emile Paderas. Norma graduated from Beaumont High School in 1960 and obtained her B.A. in English from Lamar University. She then studied for her Masters in English at the University of Texas at Austin. On June 24, 1967, Norma married her high school sweetheart, Joseph C. "Lum" Hawthorn.

During the early years of their marriage, Norma and Lum lived in Philadelphia and Chicago while he was a special agent for the FBI. After they moved back to Beaumont, where Lum worked as a Jefferson County assistant district attorney and later as an assistant United States attorney, Norma taught English at Austin Middle School. Her favorite hobby was acting as the chapter advisor for the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at Lamar. For over thirty years, she acted as "a mom away from home" for hundreds of young women. Norma was also a passionate supporter of the University of Texas athletics and a life-long football and baseball season ticket holder. The highlight was attending the 2005 national championship game at the Rose Bowl-known as the greatest college football game ever played. Norma also loved many things: Ziploc bags, highlighters, VCR tapes, the University of Texas Alumni Band Day, the TV guide, correct grammar, cut glass, and her pets. But her greatest love was for her family: daughter, Anne and son, Zack, her grandchildren, and most especially, her devoted husband, Lum.

She is survived by her husband of fifty-eight years, Lum; daughter, Anne Newton and her husband, Chris, of Austin; their children, Frances Elizabeth Newton, Margaret Maxine Newton, and Catherine Vaughan Newton; her son, the Honorable Zack Hawthorn and his wife, Kara, of Beaumont; and their children, Columbus John Hawthorn, Miller Paderas Hawthorn and Everette Calder Hawthorn; and brother, David Paderas of Dayton, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider making a donation in Norma's honor to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, 2050 Spindletop Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77705.

A memorial service for Mrs. Hawthorn will be held Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., with a gathering of family and friends to follow until 6:00 p.m. at Broussard's, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.