Norma Jean Keaton

Norma Jean (Durbin) Keaton, 79, of Claremore, Oklahoma, died Friday, September 22, 2006 in New Dawn Retirement Community at Dover.A daughter of the late James Lloyd and Ola Pauline (Rainsberg) Durbin, Jean was born October 8, 1926 in New Philadelphia, Ohio.She was a 1944 graduate of Tuscarawas High School and she was employed for over 20 years as a postal clerk for the United States Post Offices of Huntsville, Missouri and Claremore, Oklahoma.Jean was a member of the First United Methodist Church at Claremore, Oklahoma as well as a member at the Sharon Moravian Church at Tuscarawas, Ohio. Over the years, she was an active civic leader in the communities of Huntsville and Claremore. Her activities included the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees, where she served as past secretary and treasurer of the Claremore Chapter, the Fellowship Class and the Stevens Ministry at the First United Methodist Church at Claremore, the Mary Magdalene Circle and a volunteer for the Claremore Veterans Center. For her dedication to the Huntsville area, she was honored with the first Woman of the Year Award in Huntsville.She is survived by her loving children, Jack (Susan) Keaton of Thailand, Jill (Glen) Zimmer of Perry, Oklahoma and Jan (Bruce) Janson of Oxford, Pennsylvania; two grandchildren, Raven and Addison Zimmer; one sister, Gretta Mae (Durbin) Frey of Fry’s Valley, Ohio; sister-in-law, Mary (Booth) Durbin and many nieces, nephews and other extended family members.Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Elvas Keaton whom she married on August 3, 1947 in Sharon Moravian Church and by one son, James Keaton and one brother, James Albert Durbin.Family and friends may call in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 27, 2006 from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service celebrating Jean’s life will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. in the Linn-Hert-Geib Chapel with Rev. Michael Foran officiating. Burial will follow in Sharon Moravian Church Cemetery. Following the committal service, a memorial reception will be held in the fellowship hall of Sharon Moravian Church.Those wishing to do so may send the family a personal condolence and sign the online guest registry by visiting the funeral home website.Memorial contributions may be made in Jean’s memory to Sharon Moravian Church, P.O. Box 385, Tuscarawas, OH 44682 and/or First United Methodist Church of Claremore, 1615 N. Highway 88, Claremore, OK 74017 and/or First United Methodist Church of Huntsville, 200 N. Main Street, Huntsville, MO 65259.