Yancey Worth Norman, 95, passed away Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at Mount Olivet in the Breyley Suite. Funeral Service: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, in Mount Olivet Chapel. Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery. Yancey was born Sept. 16, 1931, to Edward Worth Norman and Frances May Norman in Fort Worth. Yancey grew up on the Northside of Fort Worth. His grandfather and father built a two-bedroom home for the family on Gould Street, where he moved at the age of three. The two-story house had bedrooms upstairs, which he shared with his sister, Laura. Downstairs were the kitchen, a tiny bathroom, and the living room. In the middle of the living room stood an old potbellied stove that his dad would get up in the middle of the night to keep fueled with wood. Later, Laura contracted scarlet fever. Fearing Yancey might catch it, his parents sent him to live with his grandparents, the Normans, for a month. His parents would visit, with his mom and Laura remaining in their old ’34 or ’36 Chevy while his dad went inside to bring him out to the porch. His mom would cry because she could not hold him. This experience helped him develop a very close bond with his Grandpa Norman, who had moved to six acres along Grapevine Highway, an area that later became part of North Richland Hills. Many years later, his parents traded their house on Gould Street for a home on Homan Street, still on the Northside. By then, he had a younger sister, Mary. The new home had two bedrooms and a large back porch, which became his sleeping area. His dad enclosed the porch with plastic to create a makeshift room. With no heating or air conditioning, he slept beneath three or more quilts. Eventually, his dad built a window cooler and hand-dug a well outside. When he was young, the family owned a goat that caused trouble by jumping through a neighbor’s window. Eventually, his dad decided the goat was too much trouble, so they butchered it. The family needed the food, and making the most of what they had was simply part of life. Yancey, or “Bud” as he was known throughout his life, spent some of his childhood working at the family radiator shop, Norman Radiator, starting around 10 years old. He would go to work on Saturdays, and if there was no work, they would close around noon. However, if someone brought in a radiator that needed repairing, they would stay and get the job done. Yancey attended and graduated from Northside High School in Fort Worth, where he had many friends. Most of whom he kept in touch with throughout his life. While in high school, Yancey injured his arm during a football game but sat out only one play before returning to the field. He played another down before the coaches finally realized he was hurt. He had broken his collarbone! Since his parents did not attend the games, the coaches had to take him home and explain what had happened. Yancey would enlist in the U.S. Navy after High School in 1950. His time in the Navy was spent mostly stationed in Hawaii, where he would travel back and forth delivering supplies to ships at sea. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in November of 1954. When he would return home from the Navy, Yancey would be back to working at Norman Radiator, which he would eventually own and run for decades and eventually retire from. In addition to owning Norman Radiator, he worked nights at Consolidated Aircraft/Convair, now Lockheed. He met Glenda Owens, the love of his life, through mutual friends after enlisting. They married on Feb. 10, 1952, and together had two children – Pam and Ron. Their time together was spent traveling the country, square dancing, and spending time with friends and family. In the 1970s, Yancey and Glenda traveled to Las Vegas with friends. While there, they decided to attend a late-night show that began at 1 a.m. By the time they arrived, he was exhausted and fell asleep just before the famous singer took the stage. As she began to sing, she suddenly stopped her band and exclaimed, “Hold it! Hold it! Wake up this man. No one sleeps while I sing!” Glenda and their friends quickly woke him up. The famous singer was none other than Diana Ross! Yancey and Glenda generously donated money to Christ’s Haven to sponsor a family of children. Many years later, he and his good friend Marshall Seimer collected donated food and other items from various churches and delivered them to Christ’s Haven. He carried out these acts of kindness quietly, often without letting anyone know what he had done. He was generous with both his time and money and had a genuine desire to help others. Throughout their lives together, Yancey and Glenda cared for one another through difficult times. When he underwent triple-bypass surgery, she lovingly helped care for him. Later, when she developed breast cancer, he returned that same love by taking care of her. In December 2015, she suffered a stroke and never recovered. She lived in a nursing home for almost three years, and he visited her every day until her passing in 2018. Their devotion to one another was a testament to their enduring love and commitment. Yancey continued to enjoy golfing until the age of 92, when walking became difficult and affected his balance. Throughout his life, he remained a faithful friend to many. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, water skier, snow skier, and golfer who loved the outdoors and enjoyed life’s many adventures. I’m sure he is already finding a golf course in Heaven! His greatest love, however, was his family. He cherished his children, Pam and Ron; his grandchildren, Lauren, Lianna, and Matt; his great-grandchildren, Rylie, Brooklyn, Wesley, Cam, Luca, Maverick, and Layton; and his great-great-grandson, Mateo, representing the fifth generation of his family. Each generation will carry forward the love, values, and memories he leaves behind. Above all, family and God were the most important things in his life. He will be remembered for his strong work ethic, generous heart, unwavering devotion to his family, and the many friendships he treasured throughout the years. His life was filled with faith, hard work, adventure, and love. His legacy will live on through the generations of family he loved so dearly and through the countless lives he touched along the way. A special thank you to Yancey’s neighbor and friend, Bob Hall, as well as his housekeeper, Vincetta Taylor, for helping care for him in his final months. MOUNT OLIVET CHAPEL Greenwood Funeral Homes – Cremation 2301 N. Sylvania Avenue, Fort Worth 76111 817-831-0511
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