Obituary: Norma Louise Sellars Grabenstein
Norma Louise Sellars Grabenstein, 78, of Wilmington, affectionately known as Ms. G by her students, passed away, Monday, June 22, 2015 at Lower Cape Fear Hospice and Life Care Center.
Mrs. Grabenstein was born in Wilmington, NC on April 14, 1937, the daughter of the late Richard Norwood (Tot) and Edna Penney Sellars. Also remembered is her husband, Eugene Edward Grabenstein (1993) and her grandparents, John Henry and Mary Barnhill Penney and Richard Cass and Nancy Wright Rivenbark Sellars, who all preceded her in death.
Norma began school in Mrs. Ruth Cronleys kindergarten class and then attended Tileston Elementary School. She graduated from New Hanover High School in 1954 and attended Wilmington Jr. College for 2 years, where she was Maid of Honor on the May Day Court. She graduated from Western Carolina University in 1958 earning a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education. She was Sweetheart of Sigma Chi at the 1957 homecoming, a member of Delta Sigma Sorority where she was president her senior year and a member of the Creative Writing Club.
Norma began her teaching career in 1958 at Sunset Park Elementary (Lucille Schufler Building) teaching the 6th grade. She continued her career going to Ocracoke Island School, Lake Forest Elementary (5th and 6th grade Accelerated Class), back to Ocracoke for three years, Camp LeJeune for five years, Lincoln Elementary, Mary Washington Howe, and finally Ogden Elementary, where she remained until her retirement after 31 years of teaching.
Mrs. Grabenstein was a member of the New Hanover Genealogy Society, the Southern Dames, currently serving as President of U.D.C. Chapter #3, and was a member of D.A.R. She was a no trump bridge player, an avid reader and she enjoyed coastal sports which included everything from catching it to eating it! Norma was also the Best Storyteller ever.
Surviving are her beloved sisters, Mary Hammond (Tom) of Athens, GA and Wilmington, Jean Gornto Rawls and Sue Hammonds, both of Wilmington; her stepson, John Joseph Grabenstein (Joanelle); her dear nephews and nieces, Phillip Hammond (Lori), Laura H. Holdych (Steve), Christy H. Moore, Whit Rawls (Lauren), Ricky Hammond (Carrie); ten great nieces and nephews; uncle Glenwood T. Sellars of Wilmington; brothers-in-law, Charlie Grabenstein
of CT, Bill Grabenstein of FL and Walt Grabenstein (Eileen) of FL; numerous cousins and many friends.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 am Saturday, June 27, 2015 at Fifth Ave. United Methodist Church which she joined in 1948. Interment will follow in Oakdale Cemetery.