Adalene was born July 15, 1935, in Morrison, the daughter of Albert and Pearl (Bos) Heun. She was proud of her early education at Stone Street and Garden Plain schools and graduated from Erie High School in 1953. She married Arnold “Arnie” Norman on September 9, 1954, at the Newton Zion Reformed Church upon his return from the Korean War. They farmed in Newton Township and raised their family in the home they lived in for 50 years and then built their dream home in the timber. Both homes hold fond memories of quality family time, including Sunday lunches (with china set at 3pm on Saturday). Arnie passed away on August 15, 2016.
Adalene liked to keep busy as there was always cleaning, sewing, gardening, baking, and cooking to be done. She had a knack for knowing when a friend or neighbor needed a meal, but the top priority was feeding the men in the field a full-hot meal promptly at noon on a tailgate (before tailgating was a thing). She took pride in being a farmer’s wife. When they could get away, Arnie and Adalene enjoyed traveling or simply taking car rides in the country to check out the crops and God’s beauty.
Adalene cared about her community. She was the Newton Township clerk for 35 years and served as an election judge. She also volunteered for Jane Lamb gift shop and King’s Kloset.
Her faith was extremely important to her. With Arnie they faithfully served Newton Zion Reformed Church and then Erie Evangelical Free Church. She was well known as an accomplished organist and pianist. She will additionally be remembered as the cook at church camp and an AWANA leader.
Adalene made so many wonderful memories with her family. She will be dearly missed by son, Jerry (Lori) Norman, Erie; daughters, Mary (Warren) Kuh, Marble Falls, TX; Beth (Kent) Wirth, Albany; and Paula (Jeff) Wiebenga, Fenton; grandchildren, Shelly (Brad) Punke, Jason (Julie) Norman, Lisa (Ron) Huisman, Kellye (Ashton) Dickinson-Kuh, Scott (Priya) Wirth, Angela (Ross) Vickroy, Amy (Jason) Heyvaert, Amber (David) Butkus, and 25 beloved great-grandchildren.
She is survived by a sister-in-law Nancy Heun of Lynwood, WA and many special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and siblings; Paul Heun (on D-Day at Normandy), John Heun, Claire Heun, and Ruby Singleton. She was also preceded in death by Arnie’s siblings.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at Erie Evangelical Free Church in Erie, Illinois. Burial will follow in the Kingsbury Cemetery, Newton Township. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Erie Evangelical Free Church and Resthave Home.
The family wishes to thank her Resthave family for their loving, compassionate care (and for filling her peppermint jar).
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