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Norene Vidal Williams died at her home in Concord, California at the age of 92 on June 16, 2009. Norene was born in Farmington and spent her childhood in Crystal, New Mexico on the Navajo Reservation, where her parents, Charles and Madge Newcomb had a trading post for many years. Norene went to school at the Loretta Academy in Santa Fe, graduated from Gallup High School and attended the University of New Mexico. She taught elementary school in the Gallup area for two years, and then in 1938, she married her childhood sweetheart, Johnnie Vidal. They had three children, John R. Vidal, M. Christine Paynton and Timothy J. Vidal. Johnnie owned and operated Vidal Hardware in Gallup until his death at the age of 37 in 1951. Norene raised her children in Gallup, attended the Episcopal Church, and served on the boards and committees of the New Mexico Council on Crime and Delinquency, Girl Scouts, Gallup Public Library Board, the Episcopal Church, United Way, Heart Drive and Cancer Drive. She was on the P.E.O. State Board for many years, and served as State President of P.E.O. in New Mexico in 1964. In 1974, she married Charles Williams, who owned Navajo Motors in Gallup and raised Appaloosa horses on a small ranch south of Gallup. Charles had three children and six grandchildren. He died in 1996. Norene is survived by her three children, eight grandchildren: Richard C. Vidal, Kelly K. Fuhst, Earle F. Paynton, III, Tiffany N. Silveira, Jeffrey M. Paynton, Daniel C. Vidal, Benjamin D. Vidal and T. Jonathan Vidal; and twelve great grandchildren. Norene was a beautiful and graceful woman whose life had a powerful impact on the lives of many people, and she will be deeply missed. A Memorial Service will be held at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 1334 Country Club Drive in Gallup at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2009. Donations can be made to a charity of choice if desired.
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