Norma Arlene Kitchen

Norma died peacefully on May 27, 2002 in the wonderful care of the Fair Oaks Rehabilitation and Health Care Center at the age of 91. She has gone to be with her beloved husband William (Bill) and their wonderful family members leaving behind her youngest sister Evie (Heller) Reilly. Norma was born December 25, 1928. She was raised on a farm near Edgerton Wi., by her loving parents Olga and Fred Heller along with twelve siblings: five sisters and six brothers. Being the second youngest, she enjoyed the attention of the many older siblings. It was through the older siblings and her Dad that she became a lifelong Cub Fan (along with the Packers and the Wisconsin Badgers). She chose nursing as her career, graduating from Swedish American School of Nursing in 1950 in Rockford, IL. After being confirm and then later married at the Edgerton Lutheran Church, Bill and Norma began their life together, first in Loves Park, IL and then Rockford, IL Their family also began to grow. Beverly Jean (Hopkins) was their first born: then came Barbara Ann (Stenger), William Jay, Roger Lee, Marsha Lucille (Bailey) and Judy Lynn (Shannon). Her nursing career began as a private duty nurse, balancing working nights and sleeping/raising a family during the day. Later she became a member of the Rockford Memorial Nursery staff, a job she held for 25 years with much love for all those babies. Bill and Norma became faithful members of Beth Eden UM Church in 1956, giving their children a solid Christian foundation. Church became a very important part of their life. Norma is survived by all six children along with eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. A great loss for the family was when their granddaughter Megan Elizabeth Kitchen died at the age of sixteen. Norma was always grateful for the many nursing friends, church friends, extended family and people she met along the way. They brought joy into her life.

We will dearly miss you Mom, but we will be forever thankful for your love, guidance, presence and fun loving spirit in our lives.

Walk through visitation to celebrate Norma's life will be from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at Advantage Funeral Home 7000 West State Street in Rockford; private family graveside will follow at Willwood Cemetery.