Norma J. Early

February 24, 1931 - January 15, 2025 (93)
Funeral arrangements by
Halls Funeral Home,
140 S Nursery Ave. Purcellville, Virginia
Funeral Mass:
10 AM Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
St Thomas More Cathedral
3901 Cathedral Ave, Arlington Va 22203
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she and her family witnessed and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Met and married a young sailor Bobby E. Early in 1950 and welcomed the first of 4 children a year later
Keith (Cheryl) Early, Purcellville Va.
Robin E. Early deceased May 31, 2022
Carl Michael Early deceased Feb, 1986
Richard (Connie) Early, Hampstead, NC
Jean had 7 Grandchildren and 3 Great
Grandchildren
Jean and Bobby had many homes compliments of the US Navy
Until 1966 when the family settled in Arlington, Va after 3 years in Yokahama, Japan. They divorced in 1970 and Jean carried on her life's work taking care of her family. With strong Faith in Jesus and her mother, Margaret Hendrix (RIP 1994) who had been present in all their travels and so contributed to the day to day so Jean could get a job and make a life for them all, they carried on.
Jean found employment as a waitress at La Scala on Columbia Pike and excelled in all facets of the hospitality business thanks to the generosity of the owner who promised to teach her everything he knew. She was so relieved, as she said "It was hard, most were looking for young girls, not 42 yr old women with 4 kids who had never worked" It changed her life. She was able to buy her own home fulfilling the promise to her children that they would always have roof over there heads. Her passion was gardening, crafts and restoring her home. She raised orchids in her fireplace, made feather leis and taught her children the art of sushi and many other crafts and always stayed in touch with her Island roots especially her beloved cousins Arlene Johnson and Jackie Anderson.
Jean would later retire from Arlington County Elementary School system
She served as a beloved cook for hundreds of children.
Upon retirement it was her desire to be closer to her local grandchildren, sold her home and moved to Ashburn, Va and later to Purcellville, Va always maintaining her own residence she became the child care provider for Keith and Cheryl's children Sean, Dylan, Haley and Jeff, and with periodic visits from Richard and Connie's children, Jeans life was full and very satisfying.
She lived a long and vigorous life with few regrets. She was the best Mom, Grandmother, mentor, family caretaker, child care provider, advisor and friend anyone could ever have.
A recent discussion about life, she told me "It hasn't been a mean life
Mean moments but in the scheme of it all, not a mean life"
I told her about a Jimmy Buffett verse about life "some of its magic, some of its tragic but a good life all the way" she said, that sums it up!
And so it does,