Oct. 14, 1914-Nov. 10, 2005 Grandpa, Darwin Norval Stoops

Passed away in Visalia California, November 10, 2005 at the age of 91.

Norval was born October 14, 1914 in Viola, Wisconsin to Clifford and Mattie Stoops, the third of five children. He was raised on the family farm until his father was killed at age 43 by a logging injury when he was 10. He then worked on a small dairy to help support the family. Norval lost a brother, Marion, who drown at age 18 and a sister Pauline at age 19 from tuberculosis. Their oldest brother, Wesley, and mother both passed away at age 83.

Norval graduated from Northwest Nazarene Collage with a B.S. in sociology.

He taught Ancient History and Physical Education at Holiness Evangelistic Institute in El Monte, California where he met a student, Mary Bailey.

They married, on February 21^st 1942, a union that has lasted 63 years, nine months.

Norval and Mary were blessed with seven children:

Fama, David, and Mary, Stephen, Daniel, Esther and Samuel.

Fama was born in San Diego during WWII, where Norval worked at Consolidated Aircraft. David was born in Linda Vista California. Mary was born in Visalia where Norval served as principal of Linwood School. Stephen was born in Illinois where he taught children of the Olivet Nazarene College Professors and sold Electrolux vacuum cleaners. Daniel arrived after the family moved to Corona, California. Two weeks after Dan’s birth, Norval moved the family back to Visalia. While living here, God gave them Esther and Samuel. In 1958, he had an illness that left his legs paralyzed. The church people prayed around the clock and God healed him. Norval was a surveyor for the National Park Service, working on roads in Grant Grove and Kings Canyon. Next, Norval was a school bus driver and custodian for Stone Corral. He retired after ten years with Tulare County Engineers in 1975.

Norval is survived by his younger brother, George, of Nampa, Idaho, his wife, Mary, and seven children, 29 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

He was an avid member of Visalia Nazarene Church, where he was involved in teaching Sunday School, a bus ministry and visiting Juvenile Hall.

Norval is remembered for his love for God, family and country, the mountains, wearing overalls, woodworking, vacuuming, rototilling, helping strangers, playing math games, dominoes, string tricks, horseshoes, rising early, quoting poems, memorizing scripture and faithful family devotions.
Darwin N Stoops (1914 - 2005)