Norma Jean Call

Former Vidorian and long-time Oak Forest Elementary School teacher Norma Jean Call passed away peacefully Monday, October 16, 2023, in Austin, TX. She was 93 years and 9 months old.

Born Norma Jean Henderson on January 16, 1930, in an oil field tent in Hebronville, TX, Norma moved to Vidor while still in grammar school with her parents Marguerite (Goodsell) Henderson and Everett Howard Henderson along with her older brother Ted and younger sister Marion.

In August, 1947, three months after graduating from Vidor High School, 17-year-old Norma Jean married her high school sweetheart, Texas McNeely “Tex” Call, also 17 years old. They lived happily married for 74 years before Tex passed away November 19, 2021.

Norma Jean earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Lamar Tech, now Lamar University, in January, 1971, at the age of 41 and immediately began teaching fourth grade at Vidor’s Oak Forest Elementary School. She taught there for 20 years during which time she earned her Master’s Degree in Education, also from Lamar.

After her retirement, Norma Jean and Tex moved to the Texas Hill Country where they enjoyed living on a hilltop in Wimberley for over 20 years. While there, they enjoyed growing native plants and watching wildlife in their lovely yard, attending First Baptist Church and collecting “old stuff” (depression glass, Texaco memorabilia, Lionel trains, etc.) from the local flea market. After suffering a stroke in 2010, Norma Jean and Tex moved to Renaissance Independent/Assisted Living in Austin where she and Tex made friends and enjoyed life together for another 10 years!

In addition to her husband Tex, Norma Jean was preceded in death by two children: Robert Edgar Call (1948-1952) and Patricia Darlene “Patti” Call (1960-1978).

She is survived by daughter Nancy and son-in-law Tony Budet of Driftwood, TX, and two married granddaughters: Erin and Robert Greenwood of Buda, TX, and Jaclyn and Jason Wilson of Waxahachie, TX; along with three great-grandchildren: Sydney Greenwood (18), Weston Greenwood (10), and Wren Wilson (7).

She is also survived by two sisters: Marion Travillo of Vidor, TX, and Amber and Claude Gardner of Indianola, MS; and six nieces: Collette and Bob Berry of Vidor, TX, Suzanne and Dennis Mitchell of Longview, TX, Melinda Hathaway of Longview, TX, Giovanna and Charles Ross of Lindale, TX, Polly and Philip Pieroni of Lake Village, AR, and Lisa Call.

Norma is also survived by four nephews: James and Karen Travillo of Oxford, MS, Howard and Anita Henderson of Ore City, TX, Jay and Lynn Henderson of Longview, TX, and David Call of Vidor, TX; and a long, long list of great-nieces and great-nephews.

Norma Jean’s friends and former students are cordially invited to join her family members at a 2:00 pm Saturday, October 21, 2023, celebration of her 93-year life at Vidor’s Memorial Funeral Home.