Norma Jean Reichert

Norma, who was known as “Jeannie” by many of her relatives, was born on February 26, 1931, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Burel Harvey and Flossie Elizabeth Overton. She was preceded in death by both parents, her oldest sister, Dorothy May Overton Peacock Erickson, her younger brother, Don Harvey Overton, and a nephew, Ray Overton.

Norma is survived by her husband of 67 years, Elwin Reichert, whom she met in Pensacola, Florida, when Elwin was in Naval flight school, which upon finishing, received a commission in the United States Marine Corps. Norma and Elwin raised three boys as they traveled the world moving from station to station. During their decades together, Norma and Elwin made homes in Jacksonville, North Carolina; Wichita, Kansas; Santa Ana, California; Pensacola (twice, while Elwin served in Korea and Japan during one deployment and Vietnam during another); Kingsville, Texas; Beaufort, South Carolina; Quantico, Virginia; Kaneohe and Kailua, Hawaii; back to North Carolina; and, finally settling in Pensacola. Norma and Elwin lived in Tallahassee at Westminster for the past nearly ten years.

Norma and Elwin got to travel to places like the Bahamas, other Caribbean ports on sea cruises, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Okinawa and Italy (where their youngest son and his family were stationed with the US Air Force). They visited every state in the US and several Mexican states and Canadian provinces during their travels.

After Norma moved from Tennessee to Pensacola with her family, she graduated from Pensacola High School (when it was located downtown), then she went to work for the Pensacola News Journal for several years before meeting Elwin. She posed as a clothes model for several news journal photos during her years there. Norma became a self-proclaimed “domestic engineer,” sometimes known has a “homemaker” once she was married and began raising children.

She was a chauffeur, a chef, a baker, a maker-of-beds, a laundry lady, sister, mother, wife and had a series of hobbies and other things she enjoyed doing during her life. She was a master seamstress for most of her life (and even made her wedding dress and all of her attendant’s dresses for her January 14, 1956 wedding to Elwin). She was a bowler, an expert in crochet and macrame and she enjoyed working in the yard with her husband and children. She practiced yoga. Of course, she enjoyed traveling. Before getting married, she and a high school friend visited Cuba. She made a road trip to New York (to meet her fiance’s family on Long Island, New York—after she and Elwin were engaged and he got deployed to Korea and Japan—but, before they were married). For many years she and Elwin enjoyed the fellowship of singing in the choir with several great friends while members of the Trinity Presbyterian Church of Pensacola. Although Norma was raised as a Southern Baptist and Elwin was raised Methodist, they always attended church at their various bases where they were stationed with the military. Usually, those were non-denominational, but, mostly they agreed to attend Presbyterian churches where Norma served in several capacities.

Norma is survived by her husband (who lovingly and loyally cared for her as her mind and body declined): Elwin, her sons: Philip (Rebecca) and Mark (Leann) of Tallahassee, and Tim (Kathleen) of Papillion, Nebraska; her grandchildren: Brandon (Jenna), Ben (Caitlin) and Rhianna Mixon (Josh) of Tallahassee; Adam (Tara) of Boise, Idaho; Josh (Kathy) and Cassidy of Jacksonville, Florida; Ryan (Kaitlin) of Valdosta, Georgia; and, Meagan, Aaron and Sean of Papillion, Nebraska. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Harvey, Eirallyn, Nora, Scout, Ezra, Barrett, Ian and Elias. She is also survived by younger brothers: Ray Wallace Overton (Marsha), Larry James Overton (Dianne) and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, as well as other relatives.

Funeral services will be at 2:00PM on April 24, 2023, at Tallahassee National Cemetery where she will be interred, to be followed one day by her loving husband.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CulleysMeadowWood.com for the Reichert family.