Norma Edene Denault passed away at 10:52 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, 2020, at her daughter’s home in Warsaw at the age of 84.
Norma was born on Aug. 30, 1935, to Edward and Myrtle Brinkman; and she has one sister, Carol Churilla. She graduated from Herscher High School in 1953. Norma married Raymond Denault on Sept. 17, 1955, and they shared 58 years of marriage together before he passed away on Sept. 1, 2013. They were blessed with twin daughters, Cheryl and Caryl, and another daughter, Jolynn, four years later.
Norma did not know a stranger. She was known for the wonderful meals she prepared, her hospitality, her work in the church kitchen and her love of following Southern Gospel music. Her home was always full of family and friends. Norma remained active in her church until her health did not allow her to do so anymore. In spite of a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Norma maintained her beautiful smile, sweet spirit and ability to laugh.
Norma was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Denault; her parents, Edward and Myrtle Brinkman; and her in-laws, Alfred and Rosalie Denault. Norma will be lovingly remembered by her three daughters: Cheryl (Ron) DeLude, of Charleston, Ill.; Caryl (Jim) Brooke, of Warsaw; and Jolynn (Gary) Swearingen, of Gifford, Ill.; one granddaughter, Leigh (Troy) Donna, of Charleston, Ill.; four grandsons: Jason (Rachel) Grace and Justin (Erin) Grace, of Custer Park, Ill.; Neal (Tamara) DeLude, of Charleston, Ill.; and Evan DeLude, of Springfield, Ill.; four precious great-grandchildren and her fifth great-grandson due in April; and one sister, Carol Churilla (Bill Hengl), of Bradley, Ill.
Norma also cherished her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, some who passed before her: Emile and Betty Denault, Jerome and Carolyn (Kitch) Denault, Vern and Darliene Denault, Maynard and Barb Denault, Don and Bernie Denault, Dick and Dolores Fitch, Floyd and Geraldine Tobenski, and Willard Denault; the Hess family cousins, numerous nieces and nephews and a multitude of other family and friends who filled her life to the fullest.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26 at Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, 295 Main St. NW, Bourbonnais, Ill. An additional visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of the Celebration of Life service at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 27. The Rev. Danny Overholt, of Knoxville, Tenn., will officiate. Burial will follow at Kankakee Memorial Gardens, Kankakee, Ill..
Local arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
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Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.
