History & Staff

Our Founder

A.T. “Gus” Norwood and Marcie Norwood founded the Norwood Funeral Homes chain with their first funeral home in the small town of Guin, Alabama in May of 1966. Then, in 1972 they opened the Norwood Funeral Home in Sulligent, Alabama. Their final location was opened in Fayette, Alabama in 1977 as Norwood Chapel.

Gus Norwood was well known and respected in the funeral profession as a man dedicated to service to his community and the families he served. A talented embalmer who understood the importance and need of viewing the deceased as a part of the grieving process, Gus was known to spend hours in preparing a body that had died from an illness or an accident that was considered by most as not-viewable for the public. This care and understanding of the need for viewing for a family continues today with the staff of Norwood Funeral Home.

Gus Norwood was born May 16, 1927 in Fort Payne, Al. and began his career in 1947.  Gus and Marcie moved to Winfield, Alabama in 1958 and worked for McGraw Brown-Service Funeral Home.  They worked for Spry Funeral Home and Morrison-Elkins Funeral Home in Florence, Alabama for a period of time before opening their own business in Guin, Alabama in May of 1966.  He understood the need for being with and walking with a family down the road of death and the funeral service and seeing them through the worst days of their life.

Gus Norwood died November 25, 1989 and Marcie Norwood died November 4, 2013.

This understanding of the importance of walking a family through a difficult time continues today with the staff of Norwood Funeral Home.