Martha Norman Sowell

Biography:

Martha Norman Sowell passed away peacefully at home in Louisville, Kentucky on September 14^th at age 94 surrounded by family. She was a person of independent mind with great passions and interests, who leaves an incredible legacy.

Martha was born in Conway, Arkansas to Velma Ashcraft Norman and Loyal V. Norman. She spent her formative years in different parts of Arkansas as the family followed Dr. Norman’s distinguished career. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Home Economics at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) in 1953, and worked for the Public Service Company of Oklahoma in Tulsa. She married her high school sweetheart Sam Sowell days after his honorable discharge from the US Army in 1955. They corresponded after high school, but their descendants will always be grateful to the army for stationing Sam at Fort Sill. (Its reasonable driving distance to Stillwater and Tulsa facilitated their courtship.)

While Sam pursued his bachelor’s degree at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Martha served as a school teacher in Springdale. They moved to St. Louis after his graduation; all of their worldly possessions fit in the back of their car. Sam quickly got a job as an HR manager while Martha did a live noon television segment (KSDK) on good food buys and how to prepare them. She retired from her career in 1958 with the birth of their first child. Sam’s career then brought them to Little Rock in 1965, where she resided after his passing in 2007. She moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 2021 to be closer to her sons. She was in independent living until the last. Her final years were filled with visits from children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

While Martha was a constant source of support and inspiration for Sam as his career took off, she established a career of volunteering with (and leading) many worthy events and organizations in Arkansas. These activities include:

Organizations (Leadership roles)

Parents-Teachers Association Brady Elementary (President)
Cub Scouts (Den Leader)
Fine Arts Club (President and 1^st editor of the FACsheet)
Tabriz (Co-chair)
Marketers Investment Club (President)
Arkansas Governor’s Mansion Association Board (Secretary)
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Ball (Co-chair)
Scattered Seeds Garden Club (Secretary)
Arkansas Children’s Hospital Auxiliary (1^st editor ACH Potpourri newsletter)
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society Board (Secretary)
Trinity United Methodist Women’s Society (President)
First United Methodist Church, Little Rock (Altar Guild, Worship Committee, Finance Committee, Board of Trustees)
Daughters of the American Revolution, Gilbert Marshall Chapter (Registrar)
United Methodist Arkansas Conference Museum (Founding member and chair)

Arkansas Cancer Research Center Auxiliary
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society Guild
Chancellor’s Club, University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (charter member)
Conductor’s Club, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Society (charter member)
Arkansas Forestry Association
Old State House Auxiliary
Red Cross of Pulaski County (board member)
Arkansas Methodist Historical Society
Arkansas Genealogical Society
National Genealogical Society
Nature Conservancy
Aesthetic Club of Little Rock
Mount Holly Cemetery Board
Arkansas Pioneers
Colonial Dames

In addition to her many civic contributions, Martha owned a five-hundred-acre pine tree farm in Cleveland County, Arkansas. This required constant attention and frequent trips to south Arkansas in her SUV.

Sam and Martha established scholarships in her parents’ names at the University of Arkansas, Monticello. She was awarded the Chancellor’s Distinguished Service Award at UAM for her volunteer work.

Martha’s great passion beyond family and church was anything related to needlepoint. She enjoyed many forms of needlework and attempted to learn as many techniques as possible. She attended the Royal Danish Academy of Denmark and was thrilled to meet the Queen of Denmark at her graduation. Martha organized projects to create needlework kneelers at three different organizations: Trinity United Methodist, First United Methodist Church and Hendrix College’s Green Chapel. These may be her proudest achievement, residing at the intersection of faith, family and needlework.

Martha was also passionate about genealogy and was thrilled each time she was able to connect the family to the American Revolution. She connected to five distinguished patriots, one for Sam and four for her. Her research took her to Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and of course across Arkansas. Her descendants are grateful for making these connections to those who came before and their many accomplishments.

Martha and Sam traveled extensively for their careers and personal enjoyment. Together they visited London, Munich, Budapest, Bermuda, Williamsburg (VA), Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, Barcelona, Istanbul, Russia, France, Italy, Copenhagen, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, New Zealand and Madrid.

Martha is survived by three sons and spouses (John and Cheryl Sowell; Steve and Chris Sowell; Dr. Michael and Lindsay Sowell); ten grandchildren and spouses (Joshua Sowell; Megan Campbell and Chad Campbell; Rachel Sowell and Alex Moore; Thomas Sowell; Mike (Blake) Sowell and Cassy Sholey-Sowell; Rebecca Sowell; Alexandra Sowell; Sam C. Sowell; Ben Sowell; Joseph Sowell); and three great-grandchildren (Chloe, Sadie and Charles Campbell). She was incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments, careers and education, especially that each grandchild is a college graduate.

There will be a visitation for Martha at Ruebel Funeral Home in Little Rock from 5-7 pm on September 22. A Celebration of Life, Death and Resurrection will be held at First United Methodist Church in downtown Little Rock at 10:30 am on September 23.

She asked that in lieu of flowers or food, please send a gift to any of these worthy causes: