Norma (Rich) Kerbaugh

Norma Rich Kerbaugh, 81, passed away peacefully at her home in Hendersonville, TN on May 5, 2022, with family at her side. Born in Clarkrange, TN on April 10, 1941, she was the fifteenth of twenty children born to Jesse and Adah Rich.

Norma was a stellar basketball player, nick-named “Lightening” at Pickett County (TN) High School and graduated from White County (TN) High School. She attended Peabody College at Vanderbilt University on a basketball scholarship before marrying, starting a family and an impressive career. Norma was a pioneer in the chamber of commerce arena, among the first women to serve as an executive on chamber associations. She also excelled at golf and enjoyed traveling and following the University of Kentucky basketball and Vanderbilt football programs. But above all, Norma treasured time spent with her family and friends.  All who met her adored her. She was a remarkable woman and loving, phenomenal mother.

Norma is preceded in death by her husband Robert (“Bob”) Kerbaugh, parents Jesse and Adah Rich, brothers Cliff, Jesse Jr., George, John, Bill, Dan, Sam, Perry, and Mannon, and sisters Frantie, Ada, Ava, Margaret, Alba, Enola, and Jean. She is survived by her “four beautiful children” as she liked to call them, Patty Huckeby of Hendersonville, TN, Kathy (Kenneth) Previs of Paris, KY, Nancy (Gary) Koger of Hendersonville, TN, and Jay (Lisa) Keltner of Deerfield, IL, as well as grandchildren Jesse (Lindsay) Huckeby, Ryan Keltner, Jacob Keltner, Abigail Koger, and great grandson Barrett Huckeby.  She is also survived by sisters Sandra Rich of Rickman, TN and Jane Lefew of Hartsville, SC, and brother Kelly Rich of Rickman, TN.

Funeral services will be held at Brown’s Funeral Home in Byrdstown, TN at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Interment will be immediately after at Cope Cemetery in Byrdstown, TN. Family visitation will begin that morning at 10 a.m., and friends are welcome at 11a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Cordell Hull Birthplace and Museum where she was the park manager (https://reserve.tnstateparks.com/donate or 1200 Cordell Hull Memorial Drive, Byrdstown, TN 38549) or the Alzheimer’s Association at https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate.