Norma Jean Hudgins Shepherd, born July 13, 1946, passed peacefully into eternity at 7:35 on the morning of March 15, 2025. She was 78 years old.
A Yancey County native, Mamaw Norma was the embodiment of a strong Appalachian woman, and she had the tough (yet tender) working hands to prove it. I’ve heard all my life how she enjoyed digging ginseng and pulling galax in the mountains. She was also an expert seamstress, sewing many, many beautiful quilts that still warm her family.
Mamaw Norma was a natural caregiver and had a relentless faith. She used those same ginseng-digging hands to raise three kids as a single, working mom, hold her grandchildren, and tend to her parents in their last days. She poured her whole life into tending to her family—Mamaw Norma truly loved her family. Her pocket book is full of pictures that capture proud, happy memories of her favorite people: her children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Anybody in the family, at any point in time, could call for “Norma” and she would say, “I’ll be right there.” At some point, every person in her family has felt the touch of those tireless hands and been held up by the strength of her Christlike devotion. The whole family is privileged and blessed to have had her in our lives.
Norma is preceded in death by her parents, Zeb “Papa” Vance Hudgins and Margaret “Maggie” Honeycutt Fender; a brother, Vance; and her beloved stepfather, Johnnie Fender.
She is survived by her three children, Vickie Shepherd of Burnsville, Joy Brooks (Paul) of Marion, and Chris Shepherd of Burnsville; brothers David Hudgins (Debbie) of Burnsville and Butler Hudgins (Becky) of Green Mountain; her grandchildren, Dalton Brooks and Hannah Brooks of Marion, and Starr Rosseter of Burnsville; and numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved to the uttermost.
Mamaw Norma’s hands are finally at rest; her work here is all done. She is enjoying a well-deserved rest in the arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The family would like to give a special shout out to Dr. Bammer and the entire staff at the CarePartners Solace Center in Asheville, where Mama spent her last days. No services are planned at this time.
To send online condolences, please visit our website at, www.yanceyfuneralservices.com.
