CROSBYTON—Norma Appling, age 89, passed away, Thursday, September 2, 2021.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Monday, September 6, 2021 at the First Baptist Church in Crosbyton.
Visitation was held at 2–4 p.m., Sunday, September 5, 2021 at Moore-Rose Funeral Home in Floydada.
Arrangements were under the personal care of Morore-Rose Funeral Home of Floydada.
Jean was born October 16, 1931 in Seminole, Okla., to Luther Dale and Ruth Ballah. After graduating from Sandoval Community High School, she attended three years of nursing school in St. Louis, Missouri. Afterward, Jean worked several nursing assignments in various states, which moved her to Lubbock, Texas, to work at then Methodist Hospital.
She attended University Baptist Church, where she met her future husband, Joe Robert Appling. They married on April 25, 1960, in Hobbs, New Mexico, and eventually raised three children, David, Mark and Robbye.
Jean’s greatest desire was to serve the Lord by raising her family and ministering to people through her nursing career. She always said “nursing was like going to church”—it was her passion. As a result, she spent 50 years nursing primarily in hospitals and nursing homes in Crosbyton and Floydada, Texas, and later as a home health nurse. She also administered the state test for certified nurse aides.
Jean was also very involved in the community, known for her cooking, involvement in the amphitheater production of “God’s Country” in the Mount Blanco Canyon, and coordinating county fairs and blood drives, as well as fundraising to erect the Crosby County War Memorial.
She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church in Floydada for most of her life until she and Joe moved to the Raider Ranch retirement community in Lubbock in 2015.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Beulah; and brothers, Paul and Bill.
Those left behind to cherish her memory are sons David of Mount Blanco and Mark (wife, Cindee) of the Big 4 community; daughter, Robbye, of Lubbock; sisters Helen Carney (Lubbock, Texas), Margaret Maddux (Waco, Texas) and Betty Tillman (Sachse, Texas); six grandchildren; four greatgrandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Because of her love of missions and nursing, the family suggests a donation to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (send to: Southcrest Baptist Church, 3801 S. Loop 289, Lubbock, TX 79423) and/or a donation of money or blood to your local blood bank in her honor.