Paula Norris

Paula Jean (Ferris) Norris, age 87, passed gently to her eternal home on February 14, 2026. Paula was born on May 4, 1938, in Phoebus, VA, the eldest of Harry (Buddy) and Jean (Campbell) Ferris’s four daughters.

The Ferris family moved to Port Tobacco, MD when Paula was a child. She attended Archbishop Neale High School where she reigned as homecoming queen and graduated as valedictorian of her class.

After one year at Saint Joseph’s College in Emmitsburg, MD she married the love of her life, Bernard (Buddy) Norris on October 5, 1957. They were married for 59 years before her beloved Buddy passed away in 2016.

Paula was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, and friend. She and Buddy raised four children and built a home in Bryantown, MD in 1972 where she lived for 54 years before moving to the Spring Arbor memory care home in Crofton, MD.

Paula’s sharp mind was best seen in her love for words. Whether she was lost in a book or tackling a complex crossword, she was a true wordsmith. She may have let her children win at Big Boggle, but Scrabble was her domain and she was famously unbeatable in Trivia Pursuit. Paula also greatly enjoyed music, singing, and classic movies. These pleasures remain woven into the lives of the children and grandchildren she shared them with.

Paula was a woman with remarkable talent and skill. She could sew like a professional seamstress, often creating clothing and home décor without a pattern. She had a keen eye for quality and timeless beauty. As a certified sterling silver appraiser, Paula enjoyed operating her own small business called The Silver Corner. Whether it was antiques, furniture, clothing, oriental rugs, fine dishware, or linens, Paula possessed a keen eye for quality and beauty. She also enjoyed the thrill of the hunt while thrifting, always on the lookout for that special something.

Paula opened her home often, with a gracious and generous spirit that blessed many over the years. Her Lebanese heritage was expressed most deliciously in the wonderful feasts her family enjoyed on holidays and special occasions. Wonderful memories were made by family and friends alike in her Bryantown home.

She was smart, grounded in common sense, and steady in her convictions. What you saw was what you got with Paula — authentic, honest, and committed to doing what was right.

Above all else and all others, Paula loved Jesus. Her life was transformed when she was born again at age 37. From that point forward, she devoted herself to Scripture, prayer, worship, and faithfully teaching the Bible. Through a shared faith, strong friendships were formed that have endured for half a century. New friendships were built over the past decade at St. Mary’s Church which have also been deep and meaningful. Gifted at explaining God’s Word, Paula patiently answered every question from her children and grandchildren and shared her spiritual zeal with friends and neighbors alike. Her faith never wavered. She lived what she believed, leaving a spiritual legacy that continues through her children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Paula is preceded in death by her husband, Buddy; her sisters, Bronna Casey, Keya Ferris, and Jami Engle; and a grandson, Jason Leidner.

She is survived by her children, Jean (Gordon) Leidner, Kim (Bob) Sawyer, Paul (Tina) Norris, and Bronna (Patrick) Kahle; 9 grandchildren; and 20 (soon to be 21) great-grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to a memorial service honoring Paula’s life and legacy on February 26 at 11 am, with visitation from 10-11 at Arehart-Echols Funeral Home in La Plata, MD. A memorial mass will also be held at St. Mary’s Church in Bryantown, MD on March 5 at 11 am.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at arehartechols.com

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