Norma Jane "Lowry" Rash

Norma Jane Lowry Rash of Philo, Illinois, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend passed away peacefully on Monday, August 25, 2025 at the age of 93, at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL.. Norma Jane Lowry was born on a farm near Ewing, IL on November 30, 1931, the youngest of five children of Chloe Jenkins Lowry and Caleb Lowry. Norma Jane was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Nina Lowry and Betty Lowry Hankins, brothers Charles William "Bill" Lowry and Enos Lowry (died in infancy), and her husband of 45 years, Virgil Paul Rash. She is survived by a daughter, Cheryl Rash Jones (Walter); three sons, Scott Rash, Timothy Rash (MingRong), and John Rash (Lianne); five grandchildren, Holly Jones Moten (Colin), Forrest Jones, Yujia Wang (Junjie), Airin Rash, and Alea Rash; and three great-grandchildren, Daisy Yang, Henry Yang, and Asher Jones Moten. Norma was a proud graduate of Benton High School and Southern Illinois University (BS), where she studied home-economics education. She taught elementary and secondary school, and married Virgil on June 21, 1958. After living in the St. Louis area, they moved to Champaign-Urbana, where they raised four children. Later she worked for Collegiate Cap and Gown, and then as a technical specialist in the University of Illinois Library system. She was active at Temple Baptist Church in Champaign for many years, serving the church and the community in many ways. In recent years she had moved her membership to the First Baptist Church in Savoy. She also served as a leader in 4-H and as a den mother for the Boy Scouts. She was beloved by her family and many friends. Family and friends are invited to visitation at Renner-Wikoff Chapel, Urbana, IL, on Sunday, August 31, 2025, from 5-7 pm, and to the memorial service on Monday, September 1, 2025, 11 am, at Renner-Wikoff Chapel, with interment afterwards at Locust Grove Cemetery in Philo, IL. The Reverend James G. Shelton will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Empty Tomb Ministries, Inc., working to prevent childhood deaths around the world: https://emptytomb.org/, or to her church (First Baptist Church of Savoy). To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Norma Jane (Lowry) Rash, please visit our floral store.