Norma Cavitt

Norma Jean Cavitt, 97 of Saint Petersburg, Florida beloved mother, sister, and wife passed peacefully on May 21, 2026. She was born on January 12, 1929 in Paducah, Kentucky to Bertha Lee Hall and Luther Hall. Her family included her older brother Leroy Hall, younger brother Jimmy Hall, and her sister Linda Styers. Norma graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School and attended two years at Murray State Teachers College. She then married James H. Cavitt on February 2, 1950 in Paducah. She had twin sons Mark and Michael on November 17, 1957.

Norma first worked along side her mom and dad in Hall’s Bakery, Paducah, Ky. She went on to work at the Columbia Arcade Theater where she met her future husband, James, followed by Kresge’s Department Store, and finally as a book keeper at People’s Bank of Paducah. Most of her working career became book keeping and tax preparation for the Cavitt family pork production farm, catfish farm, and earth moving business until those endeavors were ended by retirement in 1996 with her move to St. Petersburg, Florida.

Norma was a life long member of Baptist churches including Hardmoney Baptist Church and Clarks River Baptist Church in Graves County, Ky and finally Northeast Park Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Norma was an avid reader and lover of words. She held library cards in every town and city in which she lived. She read widely but preferred mysteries and historic novels. She loved the Readers Digest weekly vocabulary quiz and was a devoted daily cross word puzzler. Later in life, as her vision failed she listened to audio books for hours on end. She loved to laugh especially enjoying comedians like Phyllis Diller, the comedic writings of Art Buchwald and Erma Bombeck, and the comedy radio program A Prairie Home Companion. Norma listened daily to recorded music including favorite gospel albums by Elvis Presley and Carrie Underwood, and Celtic music by Celtic Thunder and Celtic Women. When asked which she enjoyed more, the Celtic men’s voices or their legs in kilts, she would respond with a wry smile and a laugh, “their voices of course”!

Norma is survived by her twin sons, Michael Ray Cavitt of Rosharon, Texas and Mark Allen Cavitt and Amaya Ramos of St. Petersburg, Florida; grandchildren Layla Cavitt and Charles Allen, Miami Beach, Florida; Alexander Cavitt, Atlanta, Georgia; Ian Scott Cavitt and Madysen Scott Cavitt, St. Petersburg, Florida; Connor Cavitt and Shelby Snelling, St. Petersburg, Florida; and Theodore and James Scott Cavitt her adorable great grandchildren. Norma spoke to her surviving sister, Linda Styers of Louisville, Kentucky often with fond memories, shared sorrows, and frequent laughs.

Norma was predeceased by her husband James, July 2, 2002; brother Edward LeRoy Hall, June 5, 2020; and brother James Allison Hall, November 3, 2023.

Norma left the following poem for her family with her final communications.

To Those I Love

When I am gone, just release me,

let me go so I can move into the afterglow.

You mustn’t tie me down with your tears;

let’s be happy

that we had so many years.

I gave you my love, you can only guess

how much you gave me in happiness.

I thank you for the love you each have shown,

but now it’s time I traveled alone.

So grieve for me awhile, if grieve you must,

then let you grief be comforted with trust.

It’s only for a while that we must part,

so bless the memories within your heart.

And then, when you must come this way alone,

I’ll greet you with a smile and a “Welcome Home”.

Norma requested her remains be interred next to her husband James at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Lone Oak, Kentucky. A family graveside ceremony will be arranged at a date to be determined.