Norma Stillwell Martin's Obituary
Norma Stillwell Martin passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of February 1, 2024, aged 104 years 4 months. Norma was born on September 28, 1919 in the Panama Canal Zone, the daughter of the Superintendent of the Locks Division of the Panama Canal. After an idyllic childhood she graduated from Balboa High School and went on to graduate from Penn State University, where she was President of Chi Omega sorority. She met her future husband in 1942 after returning to the Canal Zone, Lt. Lee McNeer Martin of Ronceverte, West Virginia, a member of the US Army West Virginia National Guard, which was called up to guard the Canal at the beginning of WWII. Their first child, Lee Jr was born on July 4, 1943, followed two and a half years later by son Dennis Stillwell on December 10, 1945.
After the war, Lee was reassigned to the occupation forces in Japan and the family moved to Yokohama from 1947-50. In 1950 Norma and now three boys moved to Monrovia, California to live with her now-retired parents while Lee spent a year in Korea at the beginning of that conflict. Third son Robert was born during a typhoon on August 31, 1949. Upon Lee's return to the States, the family spent the next two years in Dundalk, Maryland, where their fourth child, daughter Normalee was born on October 29, 1952. This was followed by another three year stint in Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan. During their tenure in Japan, Norma and Lee helped start the Order of the Eastern Star Chapters in Yokosuka and Tokyo. Norma was deeply devoted to the effort to involve military families in fraternal and charitable work, which included the establishment of the Rainbow Girls and Order of DeMolay chapters.
In 1956 Norma and the family moved to Falls Church, Virginia, when Lee was assigned to the Pentagon. In 1971, after retirement they moved to the Leesburg area, when it was still a bucolic, historic village, situated a world away from Washington, DC. Husband Lee died unexpectedly in 1981 at age 63. By this time Norma had begun what was to become years of philanthropic work in Loudoun County. She was involved with no less than thirteen organizations and nonprofits, such as her time at Loudoun Memorial Hospital, volunteering as a "Pink Lady," her work on the former Carver School in Purcellville, the Loudoun Chapter of the Red Cross, her time on the Loudoun Library Foundation and Animal Care & Control boards of directors, and her work with Nancy's Cookies to raise funds for the county's first Alzheimer's respite center.
A gifted and prolific writer, Norma wrote both poetry and prose to delight friends and family.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents Ellis and Elizabeth Stillwell, her husband Lee and sister Jean. She is survived by her daughter Normalee, with whom she lived and son Robert (m. Sally Kellogg), both of Leesburg, son Dennis (m. Jennifer Smith) of Toronto, Canada and son Lee Jr. (m. Pamela Douglas) of Lexington, Virginia. She was also grandmother to Ellis and Emory of Toronto, Lee Dayre of Loudoun County and Alice of Harper's Ferry, WV, and great grandmother to Emory and Sterling of Harper's Ferry, WV, and Jack of Toronto, Canada,
Norma was funny, smart and energetic, and those who knew her liked her. That she lasted so long was considered by her children and family an uncommon gift. She will be sorely missed. Her ashes will be placed alongside Lee's in the Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium, and a memorial service will be scheduled in the spring, when the family can be gathered together at Leesburg Presbyterian Church, where she was a long-time member.
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