Norman Rush Goad, 97, of Hillsville, passed away on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at the V. A. Medical Center in Salem. Mr. Goad was born in Carroll County to the late Richard Lee and Geneva Nester Goad. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Ruth Edmonds Goad. They were married 71 years. He was also preceded in death by his siblings, Troy Goad, Berlie Goad, Carlie Goad, Grace Cox, Eula Branscome, Daisy Goad, and Mae Ratcliffe Tipton.

Survivors include daughters, Brenda Meares (Douglas), Crystal Goad, and Rita Biggs (Donald); grandchildren, Elizabeth Stringer-Nunley (Michael), Summer Provancha (John), Candace Meares (James), Mary Plant, Matt Biggs, and Clint Biggs (Kristyn); great-grandchildren, Molly Plant, Hudson and Luke Provancha, and Wyatt Smith; several nieces and nephews; and many special friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel at 2:00 PM with Rev. Joe Cox, Rev. Donald Biggs, and Pastor Jeff Pickett officiating. Burial will be at the C.C. Webb Cemetery. Military rites will be conducted at the graveside by the Hillsville V.F.W. Grover King Post 1115. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, January 6, 2023 from 5:00 until 7:00PM. A guestbook is available online by visiting www.vaughanguynnandmcgrady.com . Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Gideons International at gideons.org.

Norman was born and raised in a log cabin and attended a one-room school. He read anything he could find, including newspapers pasted on the walls of the cabin to keep out the cold and snow. He was fourteen years old before he saw the town of Hillsville.

Shortly after he turned eighteen, he was drafted into the Army and served in World War II in the 104 ^th Infantry, 26 ^th Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star.

God's hand of protection was on Norman throughout the war. On one occasion on the battlefield his raincoat was blown completely off but he was not injured. In one battle, a sniper killed the soldiers on each side of him but he was unharmed. In another battle against the Germans, Norman was on a hill with 260 fellow soldiers, armed with only a machine gun. He was one of only six American soldiers to survive. One day German soldiers entered the barn where he and his comrades lay hiding underneath the hay. The Germans pierced the hay with bayonets while Norman and his fellow soldiers lay still and were not discovered. Once his group was totally surrounded by the enemy, so their commander told them they were on their own and they could each choose where they would go. Norman and his assistant gunner ran through the woods with bullets flying all around them and between their legs. The two eventually made it to safety.

On Christmas Eve 1944, he was struck with shrapnel from a German mortar shell. His best friend was killed. Norman was taken to a hospital in France and was then moved to a hospital in England for seventy-five days.

During the war, Norman was privileged to ride as gunner in a Jeep with General George Patton, he was able to go inside Hitler's "Eagle's Nest," and he helped free a Jewish concentration camp in Dresden, Germany.

Years later on a trip to the Holy Land with his family, Norman was asked to speak at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum about his experiences freeing the concentration camp. While in the Holy Land he also served communion in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Norman was a "jack of all trades" including running a country store, saw milling, and farming. He was a clock repairman, an antique dealer, a taxidermist, and later, a pastor for forty-nine years at Shady Grove Community Church in Willis, Virginia.

He was Chaplain of the VFW Post 1115 for many years and was eventually named Chaplain Emeritus. He had a part in over 2,100 funerals, many of which were military services. He received the George C. Dalby Award, one of the top honors from the Virginia VFW for "outstanding contributions in all VFW programs." He also received several awards for volunteerism, including one for over 8,000 hours of service to the community.

In addition to being VFW Chaplain, he was also volunteer Chaplain at the local hospital and a regular minister on the radio and to nursing homes and jails. He shared his knowledge of animals and taxidermy and his WWII experiences in several schools across the state, and shared slides of his Israel trips in several churches.  He was always available to visit the sick and grieving and would leave home to do so any time, day or night. His wife, Ruth, was by his side in all these endeavors.

At age 89 Norman wrote a book, A WWII Veteran's Thoughts on God, Chicken Necks, and the VFW . The book is a compilation of "Chaplain's Corner" articles he wrote for the VFW newsletter.

Not only did he set a Christian example for his family, he also taught them the simple pleasures of life. He would walk with his grandchildren to the orchard to eat sun-warmed peaches, pears and plums right off the tree, and berries and tomatoes off the vine. He created interesting flavors of jams and jellies. At age 96 he won a blue ribbon at the county fair for picture-perfect green beans from his garden. He would ride his lawn tractor and get stuck way too often. On drives down the river road with his family, he would reminisce about his earlier fishing days and tell stories about colorful characters of the area from days past. He good-naturedly dressed up for family costume parties. He loved cooking and eating pig tails and chicken necks and had a fondness for sweets and Diet Coke. He collected piggy banks, made games and puzzles out of wood, and whittled animals. He was an avid reader and enjoyed working crossword puzzles and word searches. Although he was never interested in sports, when his great-granddaughter played softball, he suddenly became a sports fan and attended many of her games in his wheelchair.

Even while a patient in the hospital, Norman ministered to and encouraged the staff, from doctors and nurses to the custodial staff. He never stopped joking, even in his final days.

He was truly one of the "Greatest Generation."