Cozila Bonda Lee Kelley Norris, 87, was born to John Austin Kelley and Nell Elliott Reeves in Boliver, Missouri, on May 3, 1933. She passed at home with her son Dewaine and Wic Norris by her side in Birch Tree, Missouri on November 9, 2020.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother; a stepfather; Roua William Douglass; a sister and a brother, Louise and Garrett; half-sister, Martha; her husband, Paul Joe Norris; one daughter, Paula O’Dell; and a grandchild, Danell Cozila Roua Abbott.
She is survived by her sister, Mary Sloan from Sapulta, OK; six sons and daughters, Patricia Pulliam and husband, Leslie “Butch” of Montier, MO, Bennie Norris of Winona, MO, Wanda Brawley and husband Lyndall, of Winona, Dewaine “Mule” Norris of Birch Tree, MO, Roger “Rod” Norris of Birch Tree, MO, and William “Wic” Norris and companion Tabitha “Tab” Nich of Birch Tree, MO; eighteen grandchildren and twenty-seven great-grandchildren.
Bonda and Paul Joe Norris were married on April 22, 1955. She was a selfless woman taking care of her grandchild Bradley O’Dell and many other children around the neighborhood. Her greatest passion was fishing. She also loved seeing her family and friends. She enjoyed to yard sale, collect dolls and little pretties, and coloring. In the past few years, she was almost always seen with the second loves of her life, her little dogs Elvis, Izzy, and Red Dog, by her side.
She will be laid to rest by her brother and sister in Elk Creek Cemetery in Alton, MO. She was a good mom.
