This morning as I was getting dressed, I heard from the television news that Norris Church Mailer died over the weekend. She was 61, three years my senior.

Just seven months ago, she stopped by UALR on her book tour (A Ticket to the Circus) for an afternoon student book discussion and evening public discussion in Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. It was my privilege to be the campus escort for her and her son with novelist Norman Mailer, John Buffalo.


Norris was so fragile that John decided to take time away from his schedule as an author/playwright/actor to accompany her. She had been battling gastrointestinal cancer for the past 11 years and lost Norman three years ago.

It hit me that this book and this tour were probably and sadly her swan song.

Her zest for life, however, was still strong. As we three grabbed a quick pizza and salad across the street at U.S. Pizza, she was the proud Mom talking about John’s role as Robby in the box office hit Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, and she was still the artist from her first career, excited about afternoon plans to go to the bead shop in North Little Rock for her jewelry-making.

In the classroom and on stage that night, she was the Arkansan who married the famous author and the best-selling writer she became, sharing thrilling stories from her book and her life. It was truly a circus ticket for those of us in the audience who were privileged to be a part of her final performance.

May you enjoy the next chapter of your life, Barbara Davis Norris Church Mailer from Atkins, Arkansas. I look forward to reading about it.