Norman Edward Rushing

On July 29, 2022, Rev. Norman Edward Rushing departed this life to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and those who have gone on before him. Norman was 92 years old.

Norman was born to Lee and Lena Peterson Rushing on May 1, 1930 in Shamrock, Tx. At the age of five, he moved with his parents to Vernon, Tx where he grew up and attended school. In 1951, Norman moved to Midland, in search of work. There he met Clara Sue Sledge, the only child of Lon and Zelda Sledge. After courting her a number of months, Norman made the second most important decision of his life as he asked her to be his wife. Their marriage resulted in four children being born, Linda Sue, Kathryn Ann, Edward Dale, Lonnie Lee Rushing.

Norman and Sue's marriage also resulted in Norman making the most important decision of his life, to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. In 1952 Norman accepted the call of Jesus to become a minister. Together with his wife, Rev. Rushing served churches from 1952-2004. Rev. Rushing retired from active ministry in 2004 due to diminishing sight and hearing.

Rev. Rushing's first church was in Seminole, Tx. He also served churches in Coyanosa, La Blanca, Sandia, Brownsville, Riviera, Alice and Realitos, Tx before returning to pastor in Riviera. Rev. Rushing felt the call of God to establish a new church in Riviera and so he helped build a new church, Community Baptist Church, with great assistance from local volunteers and businesses. He pastored at Community Baptist for seventeen years until his retirement.

Rev. Rushing established a jail ministry in Brownsville, Tx where he would minister inside the local jail to hurting men in order to present the love of God to them. Additionally, while pastoring in Riviera, he also had a local radio program in which he would present sermons to people who could not attend church. Rev. Rushing also wrote a book entitled "Tales of an Old Country Preacher". Rev. Rushing was a bi-vocational minister. He managed a service station in Kingsville before becoming a manager of a service station in Riviera.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sue Rushing, daughters, Kathryn & Linda Rushing, brother, J.L. Rushing, sisters, Virginia & Bobby Jo Rushing.

Norman is survived by his son Edward Dale (Marcia) Rushing of Omaha, Nebraska, Lonnie Lee (Patricia) Rushing of Temple, Tx, grandchildren, Steven (Maria)Rushing, Jason(Sarah)Rushing, Danielle Reed, Michael (Abbie)Reed, Ray (Shauna)Rushing, Erica (Andrew)Smith, Patrick Rushing, Bryan (Jessica)Campbell, Bradley (Melodey)Campbell and numerous great-grandchildren.