Norma Jeanneret, 101, of Onaga, passed away on Monday, June 12, 2023, at the Eastridge Nursing Facility in Centralia.
She was born June 18, 1921, southwest of Onaga, the daughter of George and Marie Savago Graf. She attended Onaga Grade School and graduated from Onaga High School in 1939.
Norma worked at the Pyramid Garment Factory in Onaga for twenty-six years. She was a true farm wife, caring for the home and children, helping with outside farm chores, raising a large garden, and preserving produce for the winter. She was an excellent bread maker and will be remembered by her family and friends for her delicious “long johns”. She was also an accomplished seamstress, making much of the family’s clothing.
She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church at Coal Creek until it closed in 1972, where she served as President of the Altar Society. Since then, she has been a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Onaga. She was also a member of the Onaga Historical Society from 1993 to 2002, and served as secretary for many of those years. She was a member and former President of the Auxiliary at Community Hospital Onaga and a volunteer coordinator for the Hospital Gift Shop.
Norma enjoyed genealogy, reading, keeping up with current events, and working Sudoku and other puzzles. She sent many notes and greeting cards to friends and neighbors. Her grandchildren always received a birthday card with a $2.00 bill in it.
She was devoted to her family and enjoyed her grandchildren’s activities. She clipped newspaper articles of their accomplishments and put them in scrapbooks, along with their school photos.
Norma married Wilbur S. Jeanneret on June 28, 1939 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Wheaton. After their marriage they rented and farmed farmland. In 1947 they bought a farm home and acreage eight miles north of Onaga in the Coal Creek Community. After raising their family they enjoyed traveling in their R.V. throughout the U.S. They also traveled outside the country to Switzerland, The Holy Land, the Philippines and Hawaii. Wilbur preceded her in death on July 3, 2011 after seventy-two years of marriage. After his passing, Norma remained on the farm until 2019, when she moved to Redbud Assisted Living in Onaga. In April of 2022 she moved to the care home at Centralia.
Norma was also preceded in death by three sons, Gerald and James Jeanneret, twins who died at birth, and Greg Jeanneret, a son-in-law, Elmer Suther, a daughter-in-law, Janet Jeanneret, a brother, Kenny Graf, and two sisters, Rose Marie Allen and Mary Frances Ard.
Survivors include three sons, Doug Jeanneret (Linda), Onaga, Kent Jeanneret, CMSgt (Ret AF), (Linda), New Baden, IL and Mark Jeanneret (Kathy), Topeka, two daughters, Sonja Suther, Seneca and Janet Hunsaker (Bill), Arvada, CO, twenty-four grandchildren, thirty-eight great grandchildren and thirteen great-great grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 19th at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Onaga. Burial will follow in St. Patrick Cemetery at Coal Creek. Norma will lie in state from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga. A Rosary will be prayed at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday at the church, followed by visitation until 5:00 p.m.
