March 9, 2025
Dear Wentworth Alumni and Friends of Wentworth Military Academy,
On behalf of the Wentworth Military Academy Museum Executive Committee, we join the many former staff, faculty, and alumni in mourning the passing of Norma Ann Maring (1933-2025).
While we grieve her loss, our hearts are also filled with gratitude. Norma dedicated her life to Wentworth and was, by any measure, one of its most beloved and devoted faculty members. To know Norma was to know her warmth, kindness, integrity, and unwavering memory of every person she met, even if only once. Above all, she embodied a deep devotion to her family and the Wentworth alumni community.
Norma wore many hats throughout her time at Wentworth. She served as the dance instructor (1967-1991), a water safety trainer (1970 until retirement), and the Wentworth Centennial Coordinator (1979-1980). As a committed staff member, she played a pivotal role in upholding the academy’s mission, leaving a lasting impact on cadets, faculty, and alumni alike.
Yet, it was as Director of Alumni Relations (1980- until her retirement) that Norma became an unforgettable figure in the lives of Wentworth’s cadets. She was more than an administrator, she was a second mother to many, teaching us not just how to dance or swim, but how to be gentlemen and ladies, how to carry ourselves with dignity, and how to treat others with respect. Even after cadets graduated and moved on, she never forgot a name or a face. In her presence, every alumnus felt like the most important person on campus.
Many alumni, especially from the 1980s onward, fondly recall how cadets would compete for the honor of escorting Norma across the quad to the dining hall each day, just one example of the profound respect and admiration she inspired.
Her presence will be deeply missed, but her legacy will forever remain in the hearts of all who considered Wentworth their second home.
In tribute to her extraordinary dedication, this year’s Homecoming will be dedicated in Norma’s honor. At 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 4, 2025, the Wentworth Bell will ring 58 times, once for every year since Norma first set foot on campus.
This special recognition is reserved for only the most devoted alumni and staff, those who, in the unanimous estimation of the Wentworth Military Academy Museum Executive Committee, have dedicated a lifetime of service to the Academy. Friends of Norma, Wentworth alumni, and former staff and faculty are invited to gather at the John D. Groendyke Bell Tower to participate in this tribute and assist in ringing the bell in her memory.
Norma Maring, Alumni Director Emeritus, your time has now come to “fall in”—to join the formation on that glorious quadrangle in the sky, where one day, all Old Boys (and those who taught us) will reunite in a Kingdom high above Lexington. May your service and love for Wentworth continue to inspire us all as we strive to…
“ACHIEVE THE HONORABLE.”
James L. Lowman
Chairman and Co-Founder
Wentworth Military Academy Museum, Inc.
WMA Classes of 1995 and 1997
George J. Hittner
Chairman Emeritus and Co-Founder
Wentworth Military Academy Museum, Inc.
Co-Chairman and Co-Founder,
WMA Museum Endowment Trust, Inc.
WMA Classes of 1992, 1995 and 1997