Mrs. Norma Jean Heeter

 

Obituary: Norma Jean (Shreffler) Heeter; April 30, 1932 – December 22, 2017

 

She left laughing.  Norma Jean (Shreffler) Heeter, formerly of Seneca and Oil City, Pennsylvania, passed away on December 22^nd at the age of 85.  She arose in the morning, dressed, laughed with her care-givers, took a few unsteady steps, collapsed and was gone.

In recent years Mrs. Heeter had been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis and later Alzheimer’s Disease, and was a cheerful and beloved resident at Brookdale Memory Care in DeLand, Florida.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband, Harry DeWayne Heeter, formerly a Traffic Manager at Pennzoil in Oil City, and later of Longwood, Florida.  The couple resided in Longwood since June 1972, after relocating the family to Florida in 1969.  Together they celebrated 52 years of marriage.

Norma brought love, laughter, and energy to her family, and her three children were her pride and joy.  She will be missed by her son, Gregory DeWayne Heeter of DeLand, Florida, and his wife, Deborah; her son, Christopher Rand Heeter of Altamonte Springs, Florida; and her daughter, DeAnn Marie (Heeter) Friedman of Heathrow, Florida, and her husband, George.  Missing their “Nana” are grandchildren Michael Steven Friedman and Mark David Friedman of Heathrow, Olivia DeAnn Heeter of Altamonte Springs, and Justin Dixon Cook of Jacksonville.

Mrs. Heeter is also survived by two sisters: Joann Ruth (Shreffler) Beal of Oil City; and Carol Ann (Shreffler) Allen of West Palm Beach, Florida.

Norma worked full- and part-time throughout her life as an Executive Secretary.  She reported to senior leadership at the Oil City Gas Company, the Winter Haven (Florida) Hospital, and the Continental Can Company, in Winter Garden, Florida.  In later years, she loved meeting and chatting with prospective home buyers as a Model Attendant for M/I Homes.  In her personal life, Norma was tireless and cheerful in work and play.  She was active in the Women’s Club of Oil City, and the Women’s Circle at Good Hope Lutheran Church.  In Florida, she was a regular congregant at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, Altamonte Springs.

Norma’s long list of hobbies and interests included figure skating, gardening, tennis, reading, oil painting, walking with friends and family (especially around Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs), entertaining friends at their condo in New Smyrna Beach, and roller-blading with her grandchildren well into her 60s.  Norma loved to travel and crisscrossed North America with her husband and friends from Vancouver and San Francisco to Key West, and Boston and Charleston to L.A.

Mom made the most of life and friendships, and will be sadly missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Vitas Hospice of Volusia and Flagler Counties at Vitas Healthcare, 2381 Mason Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida (386.366.6100); or the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (https://www.alzinfo.org/).