Gaynell Norwood

Gaynell “Mimi” Norwood died peacefully in her sleep at home on February 3, 2026, in the attendance of her loved ones. She was 89 years old.

Private services will be held with family at a later date.

Born July 12, 1936, in Tuscaloosa to Arlon and Vernon Lay, Gaynell was the second born of five. Together they farmed the land and picked from their apple orchard. An avid reader, sometimes you could find Gaynell in the loft of the barn, cozied into piles of hay and enjoying the next book. An exceptional student, she loved school only slightly less than she loved reading.

Gaynell would become the first member of her family to attend college. She first started at Montevallo, taking a break to begin a family and welcome three cherished children into the world: Clint, Greg, and Deborah. Determined to make her dreams come true, she started at the University of Alabama, where she balanced school, work, and raising her three children—first together with her husband and then eventually as a single mother, in a time when there weren’t the social and financial safety nets for single parent families that we see today. While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in education, she worked shift work at Partlow in Tuscaloosa, where she cherished her young patients, many of whom had cerebral palsy. It was a great joy to her bonding with these wonderful children and standing in as a mother figure in a time when society chose not to keep them at home. Loving them all, she has shared many stories over the years of individuals who particularly touched her heart.

Gaynell was attending the University of Alabama when desegregation began and Governor Wallace stood in the way. She felt so strongly that anyone who could make the grades and get accepted should be able to attend that she was kicked out of her carpool on the way to class. This is but one example of the countless times Gaynell stood for what is right and just, regardless of opposition or acceptance of those close to her.

It was also during her time at the University of Alabama that they first began offering a special education track. Naturally, having grown such a heart to help those sweet souls in need, she chose to pursue this specialization. With laws changing as society shifted to a more supportive and integrated approach to special needs care and learning, she graduated with a degree greatly in demand. Interviews brought her to Slocomb, Alabama, where she was offered a position on the spot and discouraged from leaving the building before paperwork was put in place. And so, she moved with her three children to begin teaching in Slocomb, where she would go on to eventually become Special Education Coordinator for Geneva County, laying the foundation and writing grants to slowly grow the program to add a bus, teachers’ aides, and additional teachers for the special education department. Missing her students, she returned to the classroom for the final handful of years before retiring.

During her tenure, she was an active member of the Slocomb Rescue Squad, yet again saving lives and pouring her heart into the community. Following retirement, best known as “Mimi,” Gaynell continued pouring her heart into her community and family, especially her children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and great-grands.

She was preceded in death by her father, Vernon Lay; mother, Arlon Lay (Chandler); two sons, Clint and Greg Norwood; brothers, Billy and Jake Lay; and sister, Ruth Lay Pritchett.

She is survived by her sister, Judy Harris (Steve); daughter, Deborah Norwood Schraeder; granddaughter, Susanne Miller (Matthew); 4 grandsons, John E. Schraeder (Crimson), Michael Grayson Inscho, Brandon Norwood (Keera), and Blake Norwood; two beloved nephews, Stephen Harris-Dixon (Christopher), and Trey Harris; and several great-grandchildren, Kirsten Norwood, Dylan Miller, Seth Miller, Bentley Norwood, Charlotte Miller, Storeen Schraeder, EllaBlue Schraeder, RaeLeigh Norwood and Collins Norwood, Layne Norwood, and Cole Norwood.

She will forever be remembered as the wonderful, beautiful, kind, considerate, helpful, loving, caring, strong woman and example she has been for us all.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Davis Chapel Freewill Baptist in Berry, Alabama.