Norma Robbins

NORMA ROBBINS, 80 LAKELAND, Fla. - Norma Robbins, age 80, passed away Saturday, July 27th, 2013 at home with hospice care due to liver failure. Norma was born in Rockford, IL on April 20, 1933 to Andrew and Thelma Kapala. She was married to Louis Robbins Jr. on November 30, 1957 and had four children and a foster daughter. Lou and Norma moved to Kissimmee, FL in 1988 as managers of The Lakeview Motel and retired to Cypress Lakes in Lakeland, FL in 1995. Norma was always at her happiest when she had a project to help others less fortunate than herself. When she saw a need, she worked hard to fill it and tried to make the world a better place. With the help and encouragement of her sister, Dolores Monaco, and many friends at Cypress Lakes, she did a wonderful job of touching other people's lives without their knowledge. Among her favorite projects were collecting donations for abused women shelters, men's homeless shelters, food kitchens, the school for children of immigrant farm workers, hurricane reliefs, books for Indian children and fighting world hunger. As a mother, she was active in the PTA and organized the collection of many items to be sold at auction to buy supplies for Hallstrom Grade School in Rockford, IL. With a fenced in yard full of playground items, a couple of dogs and the occasional litter of puppies, it was common to have all 24 children in the neighborhood gathered at her home. She was often referred to as the neighborhood mom and was known to make a mean PB&J sandwich. In later years, the back door of her home was never locked and anyone that needed a place to call home had one. Norma was 'Polly Pine Tree' for several years at Weise's (Bergner's) department store at Colonial Village, where she sat in the base of a 'talking' Christmas tree and took great pleasure greeting small children, always remembering their names and having them return year after year. Norma was also an independent thinker and took great pleasure in showing her disdain for politics by always doing a write-in vote for Roy Rogers during presidential elections. Predeceased by her mother, Thelma Lust, her stepfather, Glen Lust, sisters Dolores Monaco and Marilyn Dempsey and her beloved German Shepard Shotzie. Survivors include her husband Louis of Lakeland, FL, daughter Susan, sons Louis 3rd, Matthew F. (Tami), and Christopher, foster daughter Michele Mahan, grandchildren Ashley Robbins, Zachery Robbins, Kyle Robbins, and Jacob Robbins, grandchildren-elect Aaron Mahan, Angela King, and Ashley Mahan, great grandchildren Jayden Hammond, Benjamin Robbins, and the little man who made his appearance just in the nick of time, Jaxon Hammond, all of Rockford, IL., sister Nancy (Shawn) Lust-Whitman of Madison, WI, brothers Vernon Kapala of Canton, IL and Ronald Lust of Merritt Island, FL., sister-in-law Patsy Gouverneur, of Vincennes, IN, and numerous nieces and nephews. A special thanks to Norma's nieces Carole Leese, Cynthia Conus-Keeler and Tracey and Samantha Gregg of Orlando, FL, who brought so much love and laughter to Norma in her final days. Heartfelt thanks to the doctors and nurses at Lakeland Regional Hospital and last, but not least, the wonderful Cornerstone Hospice Organization. In lieu of flowers, donations to Cornerstone Hospice are suggested. A Celebration of Life will be held at Cypress Lakes Clubhouse, Lakeland, FL, Fri. Aug. 9, 2013 1-2:30pm. To be followed at Harmony Society, 111 N. 2nd St, Vincennes, IN August 30, 2013.