Norma Jean Skirnick

Born Norma Jean Guild on August 18, 1925 in Harvey, Illinois, a small town south of Chicago.   She had one sister Helen and one brother Earl, nicknamed Bud.  Her father passed away one month before her seventh birthday.  She spent her formative years living with her maternal grandparents along with her mother and siblings.  She had fond childhood memories of the time spent living with her grandparents where they grew vegetables and raised chickens.  She also enjoyed childhood activities such as ice skating at a nearby creek.  Her first job was at Walgreen’s making sodas and sandwiches at the lunch counter.  Her second job was at Harvester Company, a steel mill making parts for World War II airplanes.  When World War II was over she married Ray Schroeder and had two sons, Keith and Randy.  In 1960 she married William Skirnick and had one daughter Lorna Skirnick (Harper).  In 1965 William and Norma opened their own restaurant called Norbills where she managed the kitchen.  A few years later they closed the restaurant and they both worked at Hoffman’s Restaurant in Blue Island, Illinois.  In 1974 they purchased a three-flat apartment building in Dolton, Illinois.  They rented the top floor for income and rented the bottom floor to their son Keith and his wife Sandy.  She enjoyed taking care of their son Brian while Keith and Sandy worked.  In 1979 they moved to Florida and both worked for Floridian Oil for several years.  In 1991 Norma retired to take care of her grandchildren Sean William Harper and Megan Sarah Harper while their parents were at work.  She was grateful and honored to care for her grandchildren just as her grandparents had cared for her.  Norma is survived by her children Keith (Sandy) Schroeder, Randy (Chris) Schroeder, Lorna (Phil) Harper, 3 grandchildren: Brian, Jaime and Megan, and 4 great grandchildren: Kora, Mia, Alexander and Grace.  She was proud of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.