Father Norman Lyvone McFall

With faith in the promise of eternal life in our Lord Jesus Christ, I share with you the sad news that Father Norman McFall died Monday, May 18, 2026, after suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He passed away surrounded by his wife, Laura, and other family members and friends. He was born on February 11, 1957, in Hammond, Indiana, to the late Norman Royce McFall and Dixie Faye (Robertson) McFall. He was 69 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister, Vickie Gray.

Father Norman McFall was born in Hammond, Indiana, on February 11, 1957, and was ordained a priest on May 28, 2016, by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. His first assignment was in Fort Smith where he served as Associate Pastor for Hispanic Ministry at Christ the King in Fort Smith and as Chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith. In 2019, Fr. McFall became the pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Charleston, Arkansas. In addition to being pastor of Sacred Heart, he was given pastoral care of St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Ratcliff, Arkansas. Due to the complications brought on by ALS, Father McFall became a Senior Priest on June 9, 2025.

Prior to becoming Catholic, Fr. McFall was an ordained minister in the Free Will Baptist Church during which time he served as a missionary in Brazil. In the homily on the occasion of Father McFall’s ordination to the diaconate, Bishop Taylor remarked “Norman, your path to this moment is the most remarkable of anyone I have ever ordained. A married man, a Baptist missionary in Brazil presumably trying to convert Catholics away from the faith, only to become a convert to Catholicism yourself.”

Rosary service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 21st, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Charleston, with Deacon Mark Verkamp officiating. The family will visit with friends immediately following the service in the Sacred Heart Parish Hall.

Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 22nd at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Subiaco. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Charleston, under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home and Flower Shop in Charleston.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Laura (Sawyer) McFall; his son, Samuel McFall of Gentry, Arkansas; an honorary son, Will Bauldwin of Gentry, Arkansas; and a sister, Donna Holland.

Pallbearers are Colton Ketter, Chris Leonard, Isaac Miesner, Steve Forst, Dr. James Schmitz, and Dr. Isaac Verkamp.

To place an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.