Norma Lee Rowland Bennett Newsome, 86, gained her Angel Wings on February 21, 2024 under the care of her loving family and Hospice of South Georgia. She was born in Alamo, Ga. at just 2 pounds to H.C. and Pearl Rowland. She lived in Wayne County most of her life and met the love of her life, Andrew R. Bennett at The Strand Theater, December 24, 1953 and they married March 19, 1955 and were married until his death in 1996. She then married John P. Newsome until his death in 2003.  She was a member of Spring Grove Baptist Church since 1964 and loved to serve her Lord and church any way she could. She taught Sunday School, was Ladies Auxiliary President she loved creating flower arrangements and decorating for special church events and serving at funerals for her beloved church family and community. She worked at several factories as a seamstress and supervisor and worked at Pat's Bridal Shop for a number of years. She owned and operated Grandma's Sewing House and was a talented seamstress creating simple dresses, pageant gowns, wedding gowns, bridesmaid's dresses, dance outfits, riding habits for horse competition, quilts and also loved baking and decorating specialty and wedding cakes. While raising her two great grandsons, she was awarded Volunteer Care Giver of the Year Heart of Georgia/Altamaha CARNET Award by Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in October 2008. She also earned 2012 Light of Hope award by the Tri-County CASA association of Wayne, Appling and Jeff Davis Counties. In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents; her twin at birth; her brothers, Earl, Rev. Willard, Charles, Melton, James, and Franklin Rowland, sisters, Pauline Holloway, Montene Rowland, Dora Purvis and Emily Beasley; great grandson, Lee Blackmon.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Teresa (Ben) Wilson of Odum; a son, Blane Bennett of Odum; grandsons, Jonathan (Kasey) Wilson of Guyton, Joseph Bennett of Florida; granddaughter, Dustie (Rickey) Rewis of Alma; great granddaughters, Aurora Wilson (Grandmama's Sunshine), and Faith Rewis; great grandsons, Jeff and John Blackmon; a sister, Virginia Beasley of Blackshear; a brother, Dexter (Ann) Rowland of Callahan, Fl. and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 24, 2024 from Spring Grove Free Will Baptist Church, 960 Spring Grove Road, Jesup, GA 31545 with Rev. Tim Brantley officiating. Interment will follow in the Spring Grove Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be her family.  Honorary pallbearers will be her church family, Micky and Linda Wittington, Elise Williams, Jamie Hand, Colleen Oder, Cindy Christo, Ruth Hershberger, Pat Brannen, Patricia Garbutt, Taylor Thornton, Kendra McCray, Stephanie Anderson, Winifred Thrift, Dr. Jeffrey Harris and Dr. Robert Pumpelly.

Family will receive friends from 1:00-2:00 p.m. prior to services at the church.

Memorials may be made to Spring Grove Free Will Baptist Church, P.O. Box 205, Jesup, GA 31598, Ronald McDonald House, 938, Greene Street, Augusta, GA 30901 or to Shriners Hospital for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607.

Rinehart and Sons Funeral Home of Jesup is in charge of arrangements.