Norma J. GRAVES

1930 - 2015

Norma J. Graves

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Norma J. Graves, 85, passed away June 24, 2015, at Memorial Medical Center.

She was born on Jan. 29, 1930, in East St. Louis, Ill. She was the daughter of the late Osco and Rachel Jackson.

She was also preceded in death by her husband, Gene H. Graves, and her brother, Osco Jackson, Jr.

She married Gene Graves in East St. Louis on Oct. 6, 1951. Together they raised four children, James Mitchell Graves (wife, Kim) of Edwardsville, Bradley Scott Graves (wife, Judy) of St. Petersburg, Fla., Kenneth Byron Graves (wife, Barb) of Springfield, and Leslie Janine Graves (fiancé, Kraig Osborne) of Springfield.

She is also survived by: nine grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly, Veronica Graves, Mirielle Graves, Clayton Graves, Marshall Graves, Laura Connor, Ryan Connor, Jackson Graves, Joseph Graves, and Kelly Graves; one brother, Roger Jackson (wife, Bonnie) of Edwardsville, and one brother-in-law, Bob Graves (wife, Julie) of Springfield.

Norma liked to stay active. She was into exercising before it was fashionable. She was walking, jogging and practicing yoga over 50 years ago and did not give a wit if others thought it strange.

She became an excellent cook after her marriage to Gene. It was a learning process, however. She was creative and not afraid to experiment on her young family with new dishes. Most of the time, it worked. At other times, the dog removed himself from beneath the dinner table fat and happy.

She loved to laugh. She loved a good joke, as well as a bad one. It was a perfect fit because her husband, Gene, greatly enjoyed telling both. Norma and Gene had a great life with great friends. They loved each other's company for many decades. They loved to dance and travel. They traveled throughout the world.

As a teenager, Norma dreamed of flying. She finally talked her mother into allowing her to take flying lessons. She soloed at age 18 in 1948. Although her mother allowed her to pursue her dream of flying, she then gave Norma a choice of either continuing to fly and seek a career in aviation or to go to college. Fortunately, Norma chose to go to college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. It was there she met her future husband. They fell in love quickly and were married during her sophomore year at SIU-C.

Children soon followed. Norma, like Gene, was a voracious reader. If she was enjoying a book, it was not unusual for her to read through the night. She would read a book or two weekly.

When the family was living in Edwardsville in the early 1970s, Norma started working at a realty office in order to supplement the family income. She soon decided that she could sell real estate as well as anyone and pursued and obtained her license to do so. She then decided that she did not need to work for anyone else and she opened her own real estate office, Cardinal Realty. She enjoyed success for a couple of years until Gene was offered a job as the President of a start-up company in St. Petersburg, Fla. Although it meant moving away from family and friends, the opportunity was too great to pass on so she closed shop and the family headed south.

After the company in Florida encountered some rough sailing, the family headed back north to Springfield, arriving in December of 1975. In March of 1980, Norma took a job with the Springfield City Clerk's Office.

After a few years she decided that there was no reason why she could not get herself elected as City Clerk, so she proceeded to do just that. She was first elected in September of 1987. Subsequently, she was elected in 1991, 1995, and 1999. She retired from the office in 2003. She truly enjoyed her time as the City Clerk of Springfield. She made great and lasting friends, with whom she remained in contact until she could no longer do so.

Norma was also a member of the YWCA Board and founder of the Federated Junior Women's Club.

Visitation: Family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, 2015, at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 South 6th St., Springfield. Procession to Oak Ridge Cemetery and Graveside Ceremony immediately following the visitation with Rev. Vaughn Beeman officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Memorial Medical Center Foundation, 701 N. 1st St., Springfield, IL 62702.

Please visit butlerfuneralhomes.com to offer your condolences.