Norma Belanga McCartney

Yorktown, Va. – Norma Belanga McCartney, 92, of Grafton, VA died on Saturday, January 16, in her home surrounded by family, after a brief battle with cancer. Norma was born on May, 12, 1928 in Washington County, NC, to Leola Voliva and Paul Bryan Belanga.
Norma grew up on a farm near Cresswell, NC, during the heart of the depression. She drove a school bus the last two years of high school because all the young men were fighting in WWII. Carrying on her farm learnings, she gardened and canned much of her life and even made jelly this past summer. She was an excellent seamstress, making most of her daughters’ clothes and many family heirlooms.
She attended ECTC (ECU) after the war, married and had a daughter. They moved to Newport News in 1951 to work in the shipyard, where she met and married Samuel McCartney. After the kids were in school, she substitute taught at Nelson Elementary and Denbigh High. She taught defensive driving at Ft. Eustis for over 20 years until retirement then starting a 25+ years of volunteering as a docent at Patrick Henry Airport, ending in 2020.
Norma said that growing up she had hoped to travel to New York City during her lifetime. She made it there for her honeymoon and made it to four continents, numerous countries and sailed on over 30 cruises.
She was a member of Warwick Memorial UMC for almost sixty years. She lead the Senior Breakfast club and their many programs and travels for seventeen years, was the church wedding director for 20 years and was deeply involved in the crafting group for the annual craft and cookie sale.
She is survived by two daughters, Judy Steiner of Murfreesboro, NC and Carol Andrews of Como, NC; a son Bryan McCartney and wife Karen, of Oxford, MS; grandchildren Kimberly (David) Schlienz, Matthew (Amie) McKeel, Austin (Jessica) Steiner, Ashley (Corey) Barth, Samuel Andrews, Jasmine Andrews, Conner McCartney and Bryson Andrews; fifteen great-grand children and one great-great-grandchild; one sister in-law and several special nieces and nephews,
Norma was preceded in death by Samuel McCartney, her husband of fifty years, her parents, two sisters and a brother, a son in law Max Andrews and grandson Richard McJoe Andrews.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00PM on Thursday, January 21, 2020 in Amory Funeral Home Chapel
Memorial donations may be made to the Macular Degeneration Society, The American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice. Amory Funeral Home of Grafton is in charge of arrangements.
The family would like to thank her many friends and exceptional neighbors who helped her, these many years and the great personnel of Amedisys Hospice