DANVILLE – Norma Jean Laughrey was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and sister. She loved to be around family, work in her garden, knitting, crocheting and reading.
This amazing lady was a retired registered nurse who graduated from Mount Carmel School of Nursing and loved to tell you about her career and how nursing had changed since she went to school with the nuns as her teachers. Her career consisted of working at Mercy Hospital with the nuns, then working and retiring from Joel Pomerene Hospital after twenty-five years of service.
Norma married her high school sweetheart, Richard Gail Laughrey, as he returned from serving during the Korean War. A 65th wedding anniversary was to be celebrated this past September; she would tell many people about it and pray for him to be with her.
Norma lived the longest part of her life in Brinkhaven and was very involved in the community. After retirement she and her husband were inseparable; they were always going somewhere to meet someone or volunteer for an organization. They were so busy that it was somewhat hard to find them at home to visit.
If you visited or ran into Norma around town, she would love to talk to you about anything. She did not know a stranger and was always chatting and making new acquaintances. The two of them were always traveling to see people— on the go and in the jeep was where they were the happiest. They lived their lives to the fullest. Their family has watched, admired and now prays that we can live as happily as they did, and as long. The role models they became for all of the family were incredible, respected and admired.
Norma overcame and was in remission of several illnesses prior to her last diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. This is an unforgiving disease but she was very independent and determined, and powered through every day since Dad passed. The last five months since he has been gone had been a very difficult time for her. We know they are reunited now, and she should be happier because she loved him so much and told us over and over how much she missed him.
She is survived by her daughters, Marti (Jeff) Durbin and Jennifer (Ron) Durbin; grandchildren, Ben (Billie) Durbin, Jewellene (Joe) McConnell, Rochelle (Jeremiah) Corey, Ashley (Ryan) Meyer, Mallorie (Shaun) Coffield and Grant (Sarah) Durbin; 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and her sister, Elizabeth Jane Loney.
In addition to her husband, Norma was preceded in death by her parents, Elsworth and Wilma (Thatcher) Zimmerman; and her brother, Stephen Paul Zimmerman.
A graveside service will be held at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 2, in the Workman Cemetery, with Chuck Oiler officiating.
Memorial donations are suggested to the American Legion Post #650, P.O. Box 12, Danville, OH 43014; the Knox Parks Fund, in care of Knox County Foundation, 101 E. Gambier St., Mount Vernon, OH 43050; or Hospice of North Central Ohio, 17700 Coshocton Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050 (or hospiceofnorthcentralohio.org).
Condolences can be shared with the family at fischerfuneralhome.com.
