Norma Crowley Branch

Norma Crowley Branch, 85, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina passed away peacefully at home on February 1, 2025. Born on December 12, 1939, in Oak Grove, South Carolina, Norma accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior at the age of 12 and lived a life devoted to the service of God.

After attending Latta High School where she excelled in academics and varsity basketball, Norma worked in insurance in Columbia, South Carolina before marrying Ray Branch in 1958. The couple lived in Charleston, West Virginia and Rock Hill, South Carolina before Ray’s career led them to Saudi Arabia in 1966. In 1993, the couple returned to the United States, establishing a home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Norma and Ray eventually settled in Winston-Salem in 2016. While abroad, Norma developed a love for traveling—both within Europe and the Far East as well as within the continental United States.

Norma was a homemaker for most of her life and was well-known by friends and family for her cooking and entertaining. During her time in Saudi, Norma authored a cookbook with proceeds benefitting Kids Alive International, an orphanage in Beirut, Lebanon. Upon moving to Charlotte, she became heavily involved with Operation Christmas Child. A special moment with this charity for Norma was distributing gifts in Honduras and witnessing the joy it gave so many families.

Of all the joys Norma experienced in life, none surpassed that which she derived from family. She was loved by all who knew her and will be dearly missed. Norma will be remembered for her kind, humble, gracious, compassionate, and giving spirit.

She is survived by her husband Ray of Winston-Salem, NC; sister Jean Taylor (Burns); children Beth of Fairhope, AL, Pam of Winston-Salem, NC, and Scott of Wilmington, NC; grandchildren Jeremy Aaron, Davis Aaron, Katherine Frisher, and Zachary Branch (Caitlin); and great-granddaughters Riley and Presley Branch. She was preceded in death by her parents, Monroe and Hazel Crowley; siblings Terrell Alvin Crowley, Mary Muriel Harris, and Ruby Leeson; and grandson Benjamin Alexander Branch.

A celebration of life for Mrs. Branch will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at Ardmore Baptist Church located at 501 Miller St., Winston-Salem, NC 27103 with visitation following promptly afterward. A private family service will be held beforehand at 10:15 am in the Ardmore Baptist Prayer and Columbarium Room. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Kids Alive International, Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan’s Purse, or the Children's Ministry at Ardmore Baptist Church.