Padgett, now 89, declined her right to . Learn more about merges. 2022, Obituary.Memorial. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. My father accepted the apology, Vivian said. He said both his uncle and Samuel Shepherd were dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army because of the false rape accusation, and the families hope to see that corrected, too. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Norma Faye Padgett, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The sheriff picked up the two men at the state prison to drive them back to Lake County for the retrial. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Visual Materials from the NAACP Records, NEA Telephoto, via Statesville Daily Record. Walter Irvin, handcuffed to his best friend, was shot three times, but he survived to tell the FBI a story of cold blooded murdera version of events that the FBI later corroborated in its investigation, contradicting McCalls claim that he was attacked during an inexplicable escape attempt. 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. There is no photo or video of Norma Lee.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Despite Henry and Ida Maes attempts to reason with their neighbors, the harassment and threats continued. There are countless people we need to remember who suffered similar fates who have been lost to history, Marshall said Monday. Norma was nurtured by God's Word and Sacrament all the days of her life and is now with the Lord Jesus forever; John 14:1-3. Governor Collins would go on to commute Irvins sentence to life in prison, saying, My conscience told me it was a bad case, badly handled, badly tried. His own investigation helped him conclude that the evidence did not clearly establish the Groveland Boys guilt. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79291851/norma-lee-meakin. They tell me my chickens and ducks are all gone, Shepherd said at the time, reduced to mumbling that he wanted no more trouble.. 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. Until then, Gladson said he was prepared to draft a remorseful and sympathetic letter to the families closing the case. 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. He was defeated in the next election. 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. death notice Norma Lee Padgett Zampedri June 02, 1931 May 02, 2018 obituary notice Norma Lee Padgett Zampedri June 02, 1931 May 02, 2018. James Shepherd attended the retrial and was standing with Walters mother when Thurgood Marshall informed them of a deal proposed by a representative of Gov. Groveland did not want anyone to know about it, said Vivian Shepherd, now 57. Norma started life as it ended - sincerely loved by all around her. Norma was the family matriarch, adored by all and feared when we foolishly stepped out of line. Her boundless energy and her endless love touched many souls during her brief 86 years with us on earth. This account has been disabled. Lori Lee Ferrell (Randy) of Cornelius, NC, Robert Jeff Lee (Phyllis) of Arlington, VA, Lesley Lee Padgett of Cornelius, NC and Kirk Hunter Lee (Candace) of Flower Mound, TX; her . Friends will be received on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home, LLC. She later went to Presbyterian School of Nursing, finishing in 1956. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. cemeteries found in Davenport, Polk County, Florida, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Samuel had been dead nearly 50 years, and despite Jamess reputation as a man of character and faith, the Shepherd name remained tainted in Lake County; Willis McCalls rendition of the Groveland story became the version that endured. Would you like to offer Norma Padgetts loved ones a condolence message? They refused to leave. Turning down a dark clay road, McCall stopped his car, pulled his gun, and executed Samuel Shepherd. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Curators added a new feature to the exhibit Monday: A note that reads: EXONERATED! Calling it an unimaginable privilege, Circuit Judge Heidi Davis cleared the names of Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd and Ernest Thomas, all now dead, to correct one of Floridas greatest miscarriages of justice from the Jim Crow era. On July 17, Norma and Willie decided to try and patch things up. memorial page for Norma Lee Padgett Meakin (8 Sep 1926-18 Sep 1988), Find a Grave Memorial ID 79291851, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Davenport . You cant bring them back. Beloved wife to the love of her life, the late Robert Babin Padgett. Norma Hunter Lee, 86, passed away peacefully, on Monday, January 31, 2022, surrounded by her family. Condolences may be sent to the family at: Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Were Christians, Erma added, noting that her father made sure the family never missed service at Clermonts New Jacobs Missionary Baptist Church. They were waiting for one incident.. When the explosive three-part story was published in the spring of 1950, both McCall and the prosecutor, Jesse Hunter were livid. Id been waiting years for this day, Vivian said. No matter what, you can always turn to The Marshall Project as a source of trustworthy journalism about the criminal justice system. 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. 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. Norma is preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mathilda Hauschild, son Philip Padgett, daughter Rachel Padgett, brothers Carl and Earl Hauschild, and sister Dorothy Weaks. The men ranged in age from 16 to 26 in 1949 when they were accused of raping Norma Lee Padgett. We are talking endless love, world-class hugs, sidesplitting funny songs and prayer with an amazing track record. Nana found great joy in her 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. On a nearby television monitor, she could see Rep. Bobby DuBose addressing the families. Within hours, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin, 22-year-old childhood friends and army buddies from Groveland, were arrested, taken into the basement beneath the Lake County jail, and severely beaten by deputies. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Shepherd built a modest six-room house and maintained a small farm with help from three sons and three daughters, while his wife Ida Mae had the best preserve cellar in the area. Henrys white neighbors tried to run Shepherd off his land. We are confident she would love seeing a smile on your face as you read her obituary. 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. 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. Norma Padgett, 86, is the only one involved in the Groveland Four saga who is still alive. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? The Woman - Norma Zampedri was bigger than life itself. Lee was born February 16, 1956. My grandfather not only lost their home, but he lost his son.. McCall, who had bragged about having stayed in office so long despite being investigated dozens of times, was acquitted by an all-white jury. Ron DeSantis, elected officials and community leaders participated in the unveiling ceremony, honoring the four men who were falsely accused of a rape in 1949. The couple separated after just six months; Norma moved back home with her parents who also lived down the road from the Shepherds. 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. The population of Groveland has grown from 1,000 to 14,000 since 1950, and today the city is 47% white, 25% Latino and 23% black. She attended Davis County schools and graduated from Davis High School in 1949. Norma Lee Padgett Meakin. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Norma is survived by a daughter, Karin Christensen, and granddaughter, Heidi Pavliska, from Vancouver, Washington; two great-grandchildren, Maximillian and Alexandra Pavliska; and many nieces, nephews and cousins as well as many others who proudly claim to be related to Norma from the love she radiates. Failed to delete memorial. His next book, "Beneath a Ruthless Sun", will be published by Riverhead Books in 2018. Norma wandered into Okahumpka, 15 miles north of Groveland, the next morning and told a man she had been abducted. She had eight children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Private graveside services honoring the life of Norma Beth Martin Padgett were held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at Mt. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Philip Lee Padgett to . This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. What we do know for sure is that Normas last moments on Earth were spent praying for those of us she left behind. ). Samuel Shepherd in his coffin in November 1951. The Padgetts led police to Shepherd and to Walter Irvin, who told authorities they had tried to help the couple fix the car but gotten into a minor scuffle and left. But Mike Hein, the Groveland city manager, said he doesnt see the town achieving that anytime soon. Please try again later. Write your message of sympathy today. We just want closure and not push it aside anymore, she said. We do not own or modify obituary in any way. Norma was born on March 25, 1936, the . Telephone: 724-499-5181. That lady came to the house yesterday, she told Vivian. The Legend - Norma loved, hugged, laughed and prayed harder than any of us left here on earth. 3275 W. Roy Furman Hwy. "But exonerate them of their crime [,] no.". (86 years old). He is buried in one of Grovelands all-black cemeteries. In 1955, after the prosecutor said he had doubts about the conviction, the governor commuted the sentence to life in prison. . Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd at the above address. Norma Rose Padgett (nee Thornton) age 99 3/4, went home to her Heavenly Father on July 1, 2022. Norma started life as it ended - sincerely loved by all around her. Norma Padgett had not spoken publicly about the case shed been at the center of since 1949, when she was admonished for telling a reporter from the St. Petersburg Times a few details that didnt exactly square with her original trial testimony. Hein would like to organize community discussions about the Groveland Four, but not have them run by city government. The. 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. Sixteen-year-old Charles Greenlee was also arrested and beaten, and a fourth suspect, Ernest Thomas, was hunted down by a posse and shot dead in a north Florida swamp. Service July 12, 1 PM at Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA. Two other young men were named by authorities, who described them as known troublemakers. And he believed there were better days ahead.. based on information from your browser. Shepherd died at the scene of a gunshot wound to the head. Join the community that keeps criminal justice on the front page. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Norma married Fred Zampedri on April 2, 1955, in Elko, Nevada. Marshall, convinced that the jury would once again convict, and convinced that the judge would once again sentence his client to death, urged Irvin to accept the plea. It contained a pair of Irvins trousers which had smears on the front that had never been scientifically analyzed. Holly High School in 1953. Contact was eventually made with a close relative who emphatically made it clear that the family would have no comment. 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. You know, Alene said. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. His dad said he was coming back to our house and if any white man strikes a match to burn his house down, he was going to kill him, said Griffin, who is now 74 and recently retired from the Groveland City Council. Rogersville, PA, 15359. Alene gave them privacy, and the two former Groveland neighbors sat on the interior porch for about five minutes," she recounted to her daughter. You cant change what happened, but you can clear our names. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two siblings, William Boyd Padgett and Norma Lee Padgett. Have been lost to history, Marshall said Monday at: Connect with definitive! City manager, said he was prepared to draft a remorseful and sympathetic letter to the love of life. Was the family never missed service at Clermonts new Jacobs Missionary Baptist.. 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