She strained to hear through the doors as the House voted unanimously, 117-0, to apologize to the families of the Groveland Boys. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. The impact she had on others in this half-decade of service in her chosen profession is immeasurable. Norma Padgett and her husband Willie after questioning by the state's attorney in Tavares, Florida, in a newspaper clipping that appeared in the Statesville Daily Record, July 22, 1949. She and Fred adored each other. In 1949, they were accused of raping a white 17-year-old and variously subjected to mob attacks, beatings by officials and summary execution by the Lake County sheriff. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? A service to celebrate Norma's life will be held immediately following at 2:00 p.m. also at the church. The Irvins and the Greenlees soon emerged from the elevators and spotted Vivian in the lobby. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. The service will be streamed online via Facebook Live. All information is taken from public resources. All of that changed on a summer night in 1949, when one of those neighborsa 17-year-old white girltold Lake County deputies and Sheriff McCall that shed been raped by four black men. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Philip Lee Padgett to . In 1972, he was serving his seventh term as sheriff when he was indicted for the murder of a mentally disabled black prisoner while in custody. Norma Hunter Lee, 86, passed away peacefully, on Monday, January 31, 2022, surrounded by her family. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two siblings, William Boyd Padgett and Norma Lee Padgett. I think someday there will be.. The two were married over 50 years. 3275 W. Roy Furman Hwy. Join the community that keeps criminal justice on the front page. Philip Lee Padgett Obituary. Curators added a new feature to the exhibit Monday: A note that reads: EXONERATED! Please try again later. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Franklin Lee, as well as her brother, Vance Hunter, Jr. Norma graduated from Mt. She was a longtime member of Notre Dame Parish in Clarendon Hills serving as an adult religious education instructor, lector, and diligent but admittedly unskilled, prayer shawl knitter. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Friends will be received on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home, LLC. By daybreak, Norma turned up outside a caf in nearby Okahumpka, claiming that four black men had beaten up her husband and forced her into their car at gunpoint. Howard King, whose family settled in the area in the late 1800s and brought black workers from Baltimore, remembered the chaos as a bunch of rednecks who went crazy., They had the power, they had the support of the sheriff, he said. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Because of rain, a news conference with the families was held inside Lake Countys historic courthouse, where the original Groveland Four trial was held upstairs and jailers tried to beat confessions out of the defendants in the basement. All have preceded her in joining God. NORMA ROSE PADGETT July 1, 2022 Send Flowers Send Sympathy Card Norma Rose Padgett (nee Thornton) age 99 3/4, went home to her Heavenly Father on July 1, 2022. All copyright belongs to the respective owners. All that weve doneall that weve worked forIll never get that moment back.. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. She lives in Georgia and had not spoken publicly about what happened since Irvins second trial until Friday. The doors could not be opened. Share your thoughts and memories of Norma, Share your thoughts and memories with family and friends of Norma, Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home - Wamego. At a clemency hearing in 2019, when the men were posthumously pardoned by Florida Gov. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Norma Padgett to pay them a last tribute. Norma's family would like to thank her long-time caregivers Maria de la Luz Vasquez and Julie Nordeen for their care and their gift of dignity in Norma's waning years. Contact was eventually made with a close relative who emphatically made it clear that the family would have no comment. Drag images here or select from your computer for Norma Lee Padgett Meakin memorial. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL WE HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF THE SITE. It would be another 62 years before the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill formally apologizing to the Groveland families--an act that was repeated one week later, unanimously again, in the Florida Senate. They had two daughters, Vivian and Erma, and lived peacefully there for many years. Norma dropped the Padgett name, the couple divorced in 1958, and she remarried to another Lake County man a few years later. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The exhibit is housed in the same building as the sheriffs department, where one wall features portraits of all the former sheriffs, including McCall. There was a problem getting your location. Hes also in favor of some type of recognition of the past. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Try again later. Among observers of the historic hearing were Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Devil in The Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America, which chronicled a detailed account of the case. It could be a memorial or something in the historical society. She was nanny for four of her grandchildren, providing full-time loving care and support after her retirement from nursing. All Rights Reserved.Funeral Home Website by Batesville | Funeral Planning and Grief Resources. Oops, we were unable to send the email. You all just dont know what kind of horror Ive been through for all these many years. Samuel Shepherd was one of the Groveland Four, a group of young black men who were victims of one of the ugliest episodes of the Jim Crow era in the South. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Rick Scott to put the issue on the clemency board docket. He was flanked by Thurgood Marshall Jr., son of the nations first Black Supreme Court justice who defended the men as the NAACPs top legal mind. Norma was born on September 19, 1942 in Houston, Texas to Willie Norman Martin and Blanche. Beloved. The Heavenly Father made her blessed her whole life, and now she enjoys God forever. They were handcuffed together when, according to McCall, he stopped the car to check a tire and they tried to escape, so he shot them. Now it has been thrust back into the public consciousness. Complications from his diabetes had resulted in a few amputated toes, hands that had become increasingly numb, and a weakening heart. He rejoined The Times in 2009 and left his post as deputy sports editor late in 2017. Gov. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, What time is it on the moon? She also admitted to the reporter that her father didnt have much confidence in her testifying in court; hed even bet a man that shed mess up on the witness stand. Cherwa also contributes general interest stories from Florida. Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Lori Lee Ferrell and her husband Randy of Cornelius, NC, Robert Jeff Lee and his wife Phyllis of Arlington, VA, Lesley Lee Padgett of Cornelius, NC, and Kirk Hunter Lee and his wife Candace of Flower Mound, TX; her grandchildren, Aaron and Chad Ferrell, Isabella and Alexis Lee, Lauren Padgett, and Hunter and Conner Lee; and her great grandchildren, Charlotte Lee and Peyton Ferrell. The pain was too great, and like so many victims of racial terror and brutality in the Jim Crow South, the Shepherds remained silent, not wanting to poison their own childrens hearts with stories of hatred. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. The fourth suspect, Charles Greenlee, 16, was beaten until he confessed and was sentenced to life in prison even though he had been in custody for a gun violation at the time of the alleged attack. Born to Alpha and Loretta Padgett on June 2, 1931, in Miami, Oklahoma, Norma grew up with a sister, Jean, and two brothers, Richard and Don. They demanded that Sheriff McCall release the prisoners to them for what was certain to be a lynching. We are confident she would love seeing a smile on your face as you read her obituary. She asked her father about him, but he never wanted to talk. Beloved wife to the love of her life, the late Robert Babin Padgett. Try again later. As word of the allegations got out, the Ku Klux Klan descended on Groveland, shooting at the houses of black people or burning them down. Norma and the man drove away. An unsympathetic Sheriff Willis McCall arrived on the scene and told the farmer, No nigger has a right to file any claim against a white man.. Norma is survived by her husband, Reverend Stanley Padgett, of the home; her children, Paul Padgett and wife Sherri of Apache, OK, John Padgett and wife Natalia of Austin, TX, Michael Padgett of Stillwater, OK, Martha Ross and husband Kimble of Trophy Club, TX, Elizabeth Herink and husband Dan of Houston, TX, and Rebekah Cooksey and husband Jim of Prosper, TX; her siblings and their families, Clarence Hauschild, Melva Reid, Marguerite Tilashalski, Raymond Hauschild, and Judy Douglass, 10 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous nephews and nieces. When the two were done speaking, James came stoically back into the living room. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. There were venomous, shameful words that followed the Shepherd nieces and nephews through their school years and beyondsmears that resonated for decades. Better to be alive, the civil rights attorney reasoned, and they could wait until the case quieted down before attempting to secure Irvins release from prison. Henry Shepherds eldest son, James, a highly skilled auto mechanic in Groveland, was married to Walter Irvins sister, Henrietta. Arrangements entrusted to Aarons Mortuary of Ogden. Norma Padgett Obituary. Padgett, now 89, declined her right to appear at the proceeding and present evidence or testimony, said State Attorney William Gladson, who provided the judge with newly discovered evidence to bolster the request for exoneration of the men. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Norma Padgett of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, who passed away on July 1, 2022, leaving to mourn family and friends. Norma started life as it ended - sincerely loved by all around her. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Funeral arrangement under the care ofToon Funeral Homes. 2022, Obituary.Memorial. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Driven from Groveland, the Shepherd family had lost their house and farm in what Florida legislators described as the states dark times of racism. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. I hope that this will bring peace to their families and their communities, the governor said after the vote. That lady came to the house yesterday, she told Vivian. From a wheelchair, Norma Padgett, now 86, the accuser of the Groveland Four, spoke publicly for the first time since 1952 when she testified in the retrial of Walter Irvin, who was convicted a. Several attempts were made, through previously cooperative family members, to contact Norma for a comment on the state of Floridas apologies to the families of the Groveland Boys, as well as on the Shepherds story of her visit to their home in Clermont. Yet despite the FBIs forensic evidence of murder and attempted murder, a Lake County judge refused to impanel a grand jury, and a U.S. Attorney in Tampa was unmoved to investigate the sheriff. Post a message of compassion, your message will be available here for everyone to see. Norma will always be remembered for her stylish outfits with matching accessories and color coordinated closets. Add to your scrapbook. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Notre Dame Catholic Church 64 Norfolk Ave, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514. The state of Florida was wrong, and were sorry, DuBose told them. Resend Activation Email. And he believed there were better days ahead.. Philip Lee Padgett Philip Lee Padgett, 66, of Orleans, passed away at 12:15 PM on September 30, 2020 at IU Health Hospital in Paoli. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. If they call them rapists, then our name becomes that of a rapist. Failed to report flower. He is buried in one of Grovelands all-black cemeteries. He never held bitterness.. The couple separated after just six months; Norma moved back home with her parents who also lived down the road from the Shepherds. From the time she was a girl, Vivian Shepherd was haunted by the World War II photograph of her uncle Samuel, stern-faced with his Army cap slightly cocked. The indictment said McCall kicked and beat the man, causing his death. The rest of her family, Vivian pleaded, was inside, sitting with the Irvins and Greenlees, the other families from the Groveland case who had also come to witness Floridas historic apology. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Norma added that she didnt much care for that nigger lawyer defending the Groveland Boys. Groveland did not want anyone to know about it, said Vivian Shepherd, now 57. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Norma Lee Padgett Meakin I found on Findagrave.com. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Norma Lee to pay them a last tribute. Norma will be remembered by her family as a loving mother and nana. Weve updated the security on the site. With tears that turned to sobs, the broken-hearted niece of Samuel Shepherd was enveloped by family hugs. Despite the publicity, the Groveland Historical Society, a cramped building of clippings, mementos and sports trophies, has no mention of the Groveland Four in any of its displays. She was predeceased by : her significant other Robert Babin Padgett; her parents, Melville Thornton and Mary "Beatrice" Thornton; and her siblings, Marion Ives (Thornton), Beatrice "Betty" McDaniel (Adford) and Reverend Melville Thornton. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. May the promise of our Lord Jesus at John 5:28 bring you comfort and hope. And just as Marshall expected, Walter Irvin was once again convicted by 12 white jurors and sentenced to death. That was a moment in time that I was supposed to be What the guards didnt tell Vivian was that shed been trying to gain entry on the wrong floor; that the families of the Groveland Boys were one floor up, seated in the balcony, which was open to the public. Lutheran Church 110 S Main St, Mt Holly, NC 28120. James Shepherd eventually did work his way back from Orlando to Lake County, but he knew he could never again live in Groveland. The new evidence was unearthed in a battered brown box, marked exhibits 6-9-52 Walter Lee Irvin - vs - State.. The incident began nearly 70 years ago on July 16, when Norma Padgett and her husband said that their car broke down and that they were accosted by four black men. She worked at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis upon graduation where she met her husband, Reverend Stanley Delton Padgett, who was attending Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. The. Failed to remove flower. Norma was a lifetime member of the Assembly of God Church and was best known for her amazing work in spreading Gods love through the community, including her ministry to the women in the Weber County Jail. ORLANDO, Fla. A judge Monday restored the constitutional right to presumption of innocence for the Groveland Four, granting a prosecutors motion to throw out indictments and convictions that ruined the lives of the four Black men accused seven decades ago of raping a 17-year-old white girl. 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