Naomi Christian

Naomi Ruth Christian was born on December 21, 1941, to the late Boyd James Norman, Sr. And Annie Lee Hammond Norman in Jackson, Mississippi (MS). She was the fourth child of seven children. She was preceded in death by her two brothers, Boyd James Norman, Jr. And Robert Hurling Norman, sister, Annie Roze nna Norman Calhoun, her grandson, Michael A. Christian, aka “Mikey ” and great - grandson, Malachi Alijah Christian. While in Jackson, she joined Memorial United Methodist Church at an early age where she gave her life to Christ. She graduated from Jim Hill High School and then went on to attend Tugaloo College. Naomi moved from Jackson to New York and settled in Astoria, Queens where she joined St. George’s Episcopal Church in Astoria. She was an active member of the church and a choir member for 25 years . Naomi transferred her studies from Tugaloo i n Jackson to City University of NY at Queens College where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She then went on to earn her master's degree in Human Resource Management from the New York Institute o f Technology in Old Westbury, NY, all while working full time and raising her son. Her early employment was with the McGraw - Hill Publisher in Manhattan, NY as a statistician. She worked in the personnel office while attending Queens College and was later employed as the Director of Human Resources with the Presbyterian Church, USA, located in New York and then relocated to the company's new national headquarters in Louisville in 1988 . She later joined the Calvin Presbyterian Church, where she chaired th e personnel committee and was a member of the budget and finance committee and se ssion. After many years of employment with the Presbyterian Church, she accepted the position as the Director of Human Resources with ProQuest in Louisville , where she would work for the next 15 years until her retirement in August 2003. Naomi later moved her membership to St. Matthews Episcopal Church in 2007 where she sang in the choir for 14 years. She was an active member of the Eta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha So rority, Inc., where she served as past president of the cha pter and past president of the Hortense B. Perry Foundation. She was appointed to the KY Commission of Human Rights and later became the Vice Chair of the Commission. She was a member of the Episc opal Women's Board where she served as past presid ent and served as the treasurer of the Transcend Union Board of Directors. Naomi met Norris Christian in 1992 through a mutual friend and they were later united n Holy Matrimony on August 26, 1995. Prior to retiring from their respective employments, Naomi and Norris agreed to spend their leisure time traveling, and cruises then became their favorite arrangement of traveling. They are traveled e xtensively and have taken over 25 cruises, and at least two of their cruises were enjoyed with the entire family. Naomi was affectionately called “Na Na” by her grandchildren and great - grandchildren. She has created everlasting memories for her grandkids by preparing family dinners each Sunday after Church services . During these times the grandkids were taught good table manners and to share their experiences of the past week. Even today, the grandchildren talk about these s pecial memories that they made. The loved her cooking and at e all the food she prepared ex cept the black - eyed peas that she always cooked on New Year's Day. She leaves to cherish her memories her husband, Norris Christian, sons, Ralph Anthony Diaz III (DeGloria) of Newburgh, NY, and Anthony Christian (Regin a) of Louisville, daughter, Christin a C. Stoner of Charlotte NC , brothers, Isaiah Richard Norman of Seattle, and Harry Bryant Norman of Jackson , MS, sister, Polly Ann Norman of Los Angeles, CA, and one aunt, Mrs. Rozenna Hammond Anderson of Los Angeles, CA, grandchi ldren, Ralph Diaz IV of Ne wburgh, NY, Marcus Stoner of Atlanta, GA, Darius Stoner of Burlington, NC, Chelsey and Brandon Christian of Louisville, great -grandchildren, Christopher, Cayleigh, Rae, Micah Anthony, Mario Armani and Brayden all of Louis ville, nieces, Kimberly Thomas (Henry), Tina Weaver, Tonya Norman Byrd (Lewis) and Sonya Norman all of Atlanta , GA, nephews , Lawrence Norman of Seattle, WA, John Anson Calhoun of Alexandria, VA and Johann Calhoun of Philadelphia, PA, ex - husband , Ralph Diaz, Jr. (Barbara) of Ocala , FL and a host of relatives and friends.