The Town of Goshen has lost its matriarch.

The death of Norma McLeod on Friday, June 3, 2016, brought sadness to the many people she had in “mothered” in the Land of Goshen.

“Miss Norma,” as she was fondly known, just went about doing good.

Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas has known McLeod all his life and said she was only interested in doing good for others.

“Miss Norma was a good friend of mine,” Thomas said. “She was a warm and gentle lady. Just and an outstanding person.”

Thomas and McLeod’s son grew up together and graduated high school together and he was always welcome at her home.

“The first time I ran for office, Miss Norma was in my corner and she stayed a true friend,” Thomas said. “She loved people and she loved Goshen. I have lost a good friend and so has Goshen.”

McLeod worked with a service agency for 23 years helping low income and elderly people. She worked with the Vita Program helping file income tax returns for low-income individuals and with OCAP distributing sack groceries and filling out applications for heating and cooling assistance for senior citizens. For her volunteer work, McLeod was honored with induction to the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

But it was not fame that McLeod sought, said former Goshen Mayor Michael Sanders. She simply wanted to be of service to others.

McLeod served on the Goshen Town Council while Sanders was mayor.

“Norma was our town clerk for about four years and she served on the town council for 20 years, most of those years a mayor pro tem,” Sanders said. “She was an outstanding member of the town council.  She was very good with math and she could crunch numbers. She helped us so much in applying for grants.”

McLeod was a member of the Town Council that acquired grant funds to build the town’s Senior Center. She served on the finance committee of the Senior Center.

“Norma enjoyed going to sporting events,” Sanders said. “She was active in her church, Goshen Baptist Church, and the WMU and she helped with Bible school. Norma was a terrific person.”

Goshen Mayor Jack Waller said that McLeod was a role model for service.

“Norma McLeod was a very important member of the Town Council and a dedicated member of the Goshen community,” he said. “She was originally from Crenshaw County but Goshen claimed her. Norma was a good, all-around person who sincerely cared about others. She will be greatly missed.”