Norma Jean (Miller) Taylor, 91, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 3, 2021 in Fort Myers, FL with her sons at her side. Norma Jean was born July 26, 1929 in Chicago, IL to George and Elizabeth (Higgins) Miller. After high school graduation in Osawatomie, Kansas she moved to Swanton, Ohio to work for the Swanton Enterprise.
She met Lewis W. Taylor in Swanton, and they were married on August 13, 1950 in St. Richard’s Catholic Church. Norma Jean was an active member of St. Richard’s Parish, and she enjoyed playing golf at Valleywood Country Club where she and Lew were members.
As Lew’s passion for community service and the fire department grew, Norma Jean embraced the challenge of being a volunteer fireman’s wife. She was a past president of the Northwestern Ohio Volunteer Firemen’s Association (NOVFA) Auxiliary.
Upon their retirement Norma Jean and Lew traveled, but always seemed to end up in Las Vegas where they participated in the Sam Boyd Groups golf tournaments. She enjoyed being a volunteer for the Jamie Farr Golf Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, too.
She was preceded in death by her first husband of 49 years Lewis W. Taylor (1999), her second husband Robert Sevigny (2009), her parents George and Elizabeth Miller, her step mother Gladys Bodfish, her sisters June, Doris, Shirley, Otto, Joann, Patricia, and her brother, Charles (Bob).
She is survived by 4 sons – Terrence L. Taylor, Sr. (Lori) of Fort Wayne, IN, William D. Taylor (Paula Cressy) of Fort Myers, FL, and Robert D. Taylor (Lori) of Newburgh, IN, and her Swedish Rotary International Exchange son, Jonas Gransten. She is survived by 8 grandchildren (Elizabeth Janning, Jessica Taylor, TJ Taylor (Amber), Christopher Taylor (Allie), Adam Taylor, Mitchell Taylor (Lerrin), Amy Taylor, John Taylor (Kenli) and 5 great grandchildren (Nicholas, Nathan, Roy, Raven and Olivia).
There will be no visitation. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Richard Catholic Church in Swanton, Ohio, with Fr. Eric Culler presiding. Interment will immediately follow at St. Richard’s Cemetery.
Facial masks are required as some attending have very weak immune systems.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial contribution can be made in Norma Jean’s memory to the American Cancer Society or to the Kidney Foundation Northwest Ohio.