Norma Willis Lankford, 95, of Tifton, Georgia passed away Friday, January 12, 2018, at her home. Her funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 15, 2018, at Tifton’s First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Benjy Varnell officiating. Mrs. Lankford will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday, January 14, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Lankford was born on September 6, 1922 in Nashville, Georgia to Wheeler and Mattie Willis, both deceased. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Betty Ann Willis and Juanita W. Allen; a brother, Lewis Henry Willis; her husband, William Cotesworth “Billy” Lankford; and one grandson, W.C. Lankford, III.
After graduation from Tifton High School, she attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, Georgia, where she studied music. She married Billy Lankford on January 29, 1946 and was a wonderful, devoted wife for 61 years before Billy’s passing on October 22, 2007. She was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church of Tifton, where she worked tirelessly to serve her community with Meals on Wheels among other devotions. She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend. She was the matriarch of the Lankford family and a strong Christian woman with a servant’s heart who would do anything for those around her, providing constant care and prayer for those in her life.
Surviving are one son, William C. Lankford, Jr and his wife, Ann; one daughter, Elizabeth Lankford Heath and her husband, Ron; two grandchildren, Dr. Angela L. Nix and her husband David and Courtney L. Smith and her husband Chad. Also surviving are three great-grandsons, Tyler, Hudson, and Cooper Nix, who were the light of her life.
The Lankford family is deeply indebted to Myrtice Thomas, Minnie Cherry and Jackee Watts, who took care of Ms. Norma during the last year-and-a-half of her life.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Tifton General Fund at 107 West 12th Street, Tifton, GA 31794.