Norma Bloxham

Norma R. Bloxham, 91, of Waukon, IA, died Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 10th, at 11:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 9:00 AM until the time of services Saturday at the church. Wearing of masks and social distancing are required. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. The service will also be live streamed on Martin-Grau Funeral Home's facebook page.

Norma Ruth Bloxham was born March 2, 1930, at home in rural Franklin Township, Allamakee County, IA, the daughter of Oscar R. and Selma (Wilke) Johnson. Norma was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waukon. She attended country school through the 8th grade and later received her GED on April 23, 1975. On February 22, 1947, Norma married James Edward Bloxham at the First Presbyterian Church parsonage; they made their home in Waukon. Norma worked a variety of jobs including: waitressing at the Red Owl Restaurant, as a painter and wallpaper hanger, building speakers for the Gurian Company, and as a variety store clerk before working 30+ years for the Allamakee Community School District, starting out a cook and becoming the food service director. At one time, Norma was the secretary of the Iowa State Food Service. She retired in 1996 with visions of traveling with Jim; unfortunately, he passed away that same year. Norma did travel to Branson, MO, with her daughters. She was a very determined lady, never afraid to go somewhere, and always wanted to be the driver.

Quite the seamstress, Norma loved to hand sew gingham checked aprons, which became gifts to family members and many friends. She also loved doing the counted cross stitch kits, which became blankets for her kids and grandkids; she enjoyed crocheting and embroidery as well. She liked growing flowers, canning fruits and vegetables, having coffee with the neighbor ladies, and keeping up with her grandkids' and great-grandkids' activities. A swell cook, Norma also did catering for weddings, graduations, birthdays, and other events. She was renowned for her potato salad and sour cream raisin pies and her grandchildren always knew where to find the cookies when they visited. She enjoyed bowling and playing cards as well. Earlier in life, Norma was a member of Forest Mills Methodist Church in rural Postville and was a current member at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, where she became an honorary life member of the Women's Presbyterian Group. She belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary and was a member of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly).

Survivors include her four children: Pat (Gary) Mitchell of Cedar Rapids, IA, and Shirley (Bob) Schulze, Randy (Julie) Bloxham, and Sheryl Bieber, all of Waukon; 14 grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; 10 step-great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; one step-great-great-grandchild; brother-in-law Gary Gress of Waukon; and sisters-in-law: Darlene Johnson of Elgin, IA, Beverly Johnson and Delores Johnson, both of Waukon, and Jeannette Johnson of Postville, IA.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather Lester Neverman; husband Jim in 1996; son-in-law Dan Bieber; and siblings: Marnetta (Roland) Snitker, Roger (Norma) Johnson, Marland (JoAnn) Johnson, Delores (Stanley) Berg, Dean Johnson, Dale Johnson, LaVern Johnson, Dorothy Gress, Keith Johnson, Duwayne (Linda) Johnson, and infant sister Helen Jean Johnson.

Norma's grandchildren and great-grandchildren will serve as honorary casketbearers. Casketbearers are her grandsons: Joe Bloxham, Jim Schulze, Kyle Kerndt, and Adam Bieber and her nephews: Jim, Darwin, Wayne, Virgil, Kevin, and Darrel Johnson and Tim Gress.