Norma Faye Angel
Norma Faye Angel was born to Robert and Bernadine Stephens in Dale, Indiana on June 11, 1947. Faye’s early life consisted of chores around the family farm, school, and helping care for her two brothers Bobby and Larry, and two sisters Judy and Linda, as she was the oldest child. During her formative years she developed a love of helping others which would be a major influence on the rest of her life. Faye’s first passion as an adult was nursing, and she would graduate from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in 1968. Upon graduation, she worked as a nurse at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. While in school, she met the greatest love of her life Gary Angel. They would go on to be together for 58 years, and married for 55 years.
After getting married in 1970, the newlyweds moved from Evansville all the way to Boston, Massachusetts, where Gary went to seminary and Faye began working at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital. After a couple of years of making their own way in Boston, the young couple moved back to the Midwest to Edwardsville, Illinois, where Faye continued her nursing career at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis while Gary attended graduate school at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Two years later, another leg of their journey together came when they moved to West Layfette, Indiana, where Gary enrolled in a doctoral program at Purdue University and Faye once again found a nursing position at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital. West Layfette was their home for six years, and where the biggest moment of their lives up until that point happened. They were able to adopt their first child, Stuart. Soon after, they were on the move again, to what would become their home for the rest of their lives-- Ferrum Virginia. A wonderful life would really start to take shape in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountain college town where Faye would continue her nursing career for one more year and then enroll in the psychology program at Ferrum College. In 1983, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree.
Faye decided that she would follow in her husband Gary’s footsteps and become a college professor. In the fall of 1984, the couple would once again get life changing news when they discovered that Faye was pregnant. This time a baby girl, Brynn, was on the way who would perfectly balance the family. Even while pregnant, Faye studied for and sat for exams required for admission to graduate school at Virginia Tech. In 1988, she would graduate from Virginia Tech with a Master of Business Administration degree. Never being one to settle, Faye then decided to continue her educational journey and, in 1998, she received her Ph.D. in Vocational Technical Education from Virginia Tech.
Faye received many awards for excellence, including induction into Alpha Chi at Ferrum College in 1983 and Beta Gamma Sigma at Virginia Tech in 1987. She was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa, as well as the Beta Gamma chapter of Delta Pi Epsilon.
Upon graduating with her MBA, she would become a full-time professor at Ferrum College. While teaching at Ferrum through the 90’s, she would start to develop the reputation as one of the best teachers at the College, garnering numerous awards from the student body and faculty. Her students were regularly winning different student competitions against students from some of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country. For almost 30 years, Faye would work 12 hours a day teaching, and helping students reach their full potential as students and adults.
She began to receive international attention for her academic work, as she was invited to present papers at various conferences in the USA and around the world. She also received a grant to spend a month in Mexico where she joined a team of educators from various colleges and universities to enhance education there. While there, she climbed a 7000’ mountain. She was no athlete, but she was determined.
Faye was never satisfied with just getting the job done. It was always about excellence, which is why she was so highly regarded by her students and her colleagues. Retiring in 2018, she turned her attention to her grandkids, who became her next passion. She loved all three of her grandbabies very deeply, never missing any of their milestones, or activities. Faye is survived by her husband, Dr. Gary Angel, her son, Stuart Angel, Stuart’s wife, Tara Angel, her daughter, Brynn Page, Brynn’s husband Early Page, and her three grandchildren, Bentlee Page, Kodee Page, and Noah Angel.
From a small, family farm in southern Indiana to traveling Europe, Asia, Mexico and Canada, Faye was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother fiercely dedicated to her family. She lived a wonderful, devoted life and will be remembered and loved forever.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Planned Pethood in Rocky Mount, P.O. Box 2118, Rocky Mount, VA 24151.
Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.
