Norma Jean Raber

Norma Jean Raber, age 85, of Stone Creek, died Sunday, November 13, 2011, in Aultman Hospital at Canton following a brief illness.A daughter of the late Edward E. and Mildred Bussinger Brown, Norma was born on October 28, 1926. A 1945 graduate of Stone Creek High School, Norma worked briefly for Moore’s Enamel at West Lafayette and for Heller’s File at Newcomerstown. She married the love of her life, Dennis Raber on February 14, 1947 at the former Evangelical & Reformed Church at Stone Creek.Previously noted in a local media publication, Norma centered her life on her husband and daughter, and prided herself in taking care of her family. She could always be found in the kitchen at the high school when a Swiss steak dinner was being prepared; and for many years each August, she made and served chicken sandwiches at the Stone Creek Firemen’s festival.Her true labor of love was gardening. She could often be found tending to the young plants that she raised from seed during the late winter and early spring days.It was not unusual for her to have five gardens in any given summer. If there was available land â?? she planted it.Many have enjoyed the fruits of her labor as she has always loved to share her bountiful harvest with friends and neighbors. Throughout the summer and fall, you could find her making sauerkraut, canning and freezing peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, and other vegetables.Other enjoyments in Norma’s life were taking trips with her family to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where fishing was usually on the daily agenda.A lifelong member of the former Grace United Church of Christ, Norma devoted over 25 years chairing the Hospitality Committee at the church, reaching out to others in times of sorrow and joy and she also was a member of the Working Sister’s Circle and the former Friendship Circle.Norma will be deeply missed by her husband of nearly 65 years, Dennis; a daughter, Vickie (Tweed) Vorhees of Dover; a sister, Karen (Floyd) McCormick of Stone Creek; and a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tony (Norma) Raber of Strasburg.Completing the family are two grandsons, Jeb Vorhees of Austin, Texas, and Jay (Carmel) Vorhees, of New Albany, Ohio; three nieces and three nephews and their families.In addition to her parents, Norma was preceded in death by three sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law.The family will receive friends on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 from 4:00 â?? 7:00 PM in the Linn-Hert-Geib Funeral Home & Crematory at New Philadelphia. Pastor Paul Houdashelt will lead a funeral service celebrating Norma’s life in Grace Community Church at Stone Creek on Thursday at 11 AM with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Stone Creek Cemetery.Following services the family invites guests to join them for a luncheon reception in the social hall of Grace Community Church.Memorial contributions in Norma’s name may be directed to Grace Community Church, PO Box 97, Stone Creek, Ohio 43840.