Wilma Norris Knight, Chuck Norris’ mother, will turn 102 on May 4, 2023. Her proud son claims she’s still so full of life that she could live another 100 years!Chuck Norris wished Wilma a happy birthday and took some time to reflect on his mother’s beautiful outlook on growing older. He also mentioned Wilma’s mother (Granny Scarberry), who had a positive influence on both Wilma and Chuck.
Wilma Norris Knight was born on May 4, 1921, in Wilson, Oklahoma, the same town where Carlos (Chuck Norris’ birth name) grew up.Chuck Norris’ mother had a difficult life. Wilma was born into poverty and became a ward of the state at the age of eight. She battled a rare disease in a children’s hospital for two years before surviving the Great Depression. Chuck and his brothers were raised entirely by her on her own.
She also outlived her 11-person biological family, two husbands, a stepson, two grandchildren, and her son, Wieland. Despite all of these trials and tribulations, Chuck Norris’ mother maintained her faith. And she cites her mother as an example of how to weather life’s storms well. Wilma’s mother had a difficult life as well. She survived crossing the prairies with her family as a young girl.
Wilma recalls her mother living her life with zeal when she was older.Granny Scarberry’s departure from this world was accompanied by the joy of finally being with her Lord and Savior. Granny Scarberry’s right arm atrophied and stiffened into her chest, according to Chuck Norris’ mother, for the last two years of her life. It was mostly useless.
However, Wilma recalls that as she was dying, “her arms were fully extended to heaven, as if the Lord Himself was pulling her up to her heavenly home.” Rather than lamenting the loss of both parents, Wilma Norris Knight rejoiced that they were finally reunited in the Lord’s House.”After a lifetime of hardship and deprivation, I was overjoyed to think about them being together, enjoying a blissful life that the Bible describes as ‘home’ and ‘no more pain, grief, sorrow, or tears,’
” Wilma said.Wilma Norris Knight learned the value of making your time on Earth count, no matter how long or short it may be, from her mother. She cited an Abraham Lincoln quote that she felt embodied her mother’s spirit: “In the end, it’s not your years in life that matter. It’s your life in years.” Granny Scarberry demonstrated how to persevere in the face of adversity by relying solely on God.
It’s something Wilma Norris Knight carried with her throughout her life. And, at 102 years old, she has some words of wisdom for the rest of us!Wilma discusses aging in her autobiography, Acts of Kindness: My Story, in a chapter titled “Growing Old Ain’t for Sissies.” Chuck Norris’ mother and her husband, George, both agreed wholeheartedly with the following quote from comedian George Burns (who lived to be 100):
“You can’t help but age, but you don’t have to grow old.”Wilma advocated for keeping one’s body young by eating well and staying active. She also emphasized the importance of keeping the mind fit. “We stay…young in mind by refusing to accept the status quo and always pushing onward and upward,” she wrote. Chuck Norris’ mother believes (and we must agree) that age is nothing more than a number.
What matters is that you keep your heart young. And Wilma provided some guidance on how to do so. “Despite our numerical age, those who are young at heart are those who are always challenging themselves, starting over, facing fears, taking risks, and never giving up,” she said.