For quite a few years now, I have been greatly helped in the maintaining of the ‘Burning Bush’ website by a brother in the the United States, John Pittman Hey of Greenwood, Mississippi. He first contacted me after he had come across our website and finding himself in agreement with its theme of protest against the apostasy of today. He is an expert in matters related to the internet etc and I know that our website has greatly benefitted from his unstinting help, literally day and night!
I have never met our brother and it is likely I never will until we meet in glory, but he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
The wider Foster family, both here and in Canada, wish to offer their sincere condolences at this time of grief but rejoice with him that his dear mother is “Absent from the body . . , to be present with the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 5:8.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Ivan Foster
Nora Cornelia Lyons Hey, age 87, died at her home in Greenwood, Mississippi, Monday, June 23, 2025.
She was born in Bean City, Florida, in 1937 to Leslie Arthur Lyons and Elizabeth Pittman Lyons. Her family soon moved to Baker County near the Georgia border. After her father’s untimely death when she was eleven years old, Nora was raised by her mother and her beloved Uncle Guy Pittman. She came to trust in her Savior, Jesus Christ, when she was twelve years old.
Nora came to Mississippi to attend Mississippi College, where she graduated in 1959 with honors in Special Distinction, 14th out of 324 graduates, with a BA in Modern Languages (French and Spanish). There she met her future husband, John Phenis Hey III, as lab partners in Chemistry class. In 1960 after graduation, she taught Spanish at Murrah High School and married John. She lived in Jackson, MS with her first two sons, John Pittman and David, while her husband, a physician who had been drafted into the Vietnam War, commanded an Army medical dispensary in Vietnam in 1966.
After John returned from Vietnam, the family moved to Greenwood in 1967, where Dr. Hey set up his medical practice on River Road. Nora pursued further studies at Delta State University in language education and taught Latin at Greenwood Christian School for many years. She considered her primary vocation, however, to be a homemaker and wife.
Nora and John raised four children: John Pittman Hey of Greenwood, David Lyons Hey (Ellen) of Carroll County, Sarah Virginia Hey of Greenville, SC, and Daniel Spurgeon Hey (Helen) of Black Mountain, NC.
She also had five grandchildren, David Hey Jr. (Summer), Joseph Martin Hey, Elizabeth Hey Crenshaw (Grant), Samuel Hey (Eva), and Margaret Murphey Hey, along with eight great grandchildren.
Nora deeply loved her husband, her children, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom survive her. She is also survived by several cousins who live in Florida.
She was a member of Grace Bible Church in Greenwood.
The family would like to thank Veronica Banks for her years of faithful help and love for Nora. We also thank the staff of VitalCaring Hospice for their kindness, as well as Charlie Mae Carradine, Latoya Franklin, Zuri Medellin, Angela Streeter, and Cassandra Streeter for their assistance in caring for Nora during her final months.
There will be a graveside service in the Charleston City Cemetery on Friday, June 27th, at 2 p.m., with Dr. Jim Phillips officiating. Wilson and Knight Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be sent in support of the Christian Medical and Dental Association or American Legion Post 29 of Greenwood, MS.