Mabel Irene Norwood

Mabel Irene Norwood, 84, of Little Rock, Ark., died on August 5, 2020. She was born December 4, 1935, in Pollard, Arkansas, to Silas and Lela Roberts. She was the oldest of three children. She grew up as a pastor's daughter in northeastern Arkansas and graduated from Corning High School. She learned early in life that the Bible is clear about the need to make things right with God, which is only possible through entering a "narrow gate" that few will find (Matthew 7:13-14). That narrow gate is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. We rejoice with her in knowing she is in heaven with her Savior. Through her love of reading she read hundreds of books the old-fashioned way in hardback and paperback form, and many more books in electronic format in the more recent digital age. She also loved crocheting for family, friends and those in need. She had a passion for genealogy and spent countless hours researching family lineage, including many trips to the eastern half of the United States to visit cemeteries and libraries gathering information. Numbers and paying attention to detail was one of her strong suits and served her well during her employment as a bookkeeper. She was a good piano player and added extra life to every song she played, through what some of us would refer to as a little bit of "honky tonk" style to gospel music. She loved, and was loved by, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; as well as other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Silas Roberts, and mother Lela. She is survived by her sister, Georgia Stairs of Marmaduke, Ark., and brother, Joseph (Angella) Roberts of LaVergne, Tenn. She is also survived by her seven children: Kirby (Ann) of Little Rock, Ark.; Ken (Zoe) of Port Orchard, Wash.; Kip (Rosemary) of Morrilton, Ark.; Karl of Jackson, Tenn.; Kelly (Brigitte) of Spokane, Wash.; Rachel of Little Rock, Ark.; and Kevin (Angela) of Granbury, Texas; as well as nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the caregivers at Encore Healthcare & Rehabilitation of West Little Rock, as well as Kindred Hospice, for their care of our mother in her last months and days. Graveside services will be held Friday, August 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm at Post Oak Cemetery in McDougal, Ark. A memorial service will be at Roller-Chenal in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday, August 22, 2020, at 10 a.m. To comply with the Arkansas Department of Health guidelines funeral service will be limited to 60 people at one time. All attendees must provide and wear their own masks before entering. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal