Norma Jean Hauer

HAUER, Norma Jean Browning, 89, of Kettering, Ohio passed away on November 16, 2020. Norma was born in 1931 in Waverly, OH where she was raised in a simple one-room log cabin in Gee Hollow by her maternal grandmother Mary Baxter Rose.

Determined to transcend bleak poverty, illiteracy, and the other perils of post-war Appalachian Ohio, Norma figured out very early on that her only salvation was school. Thus, she became a lifelong honor roll student and enthusiastic learner.

After graduating from Waverly High School in 1945, she headed to the “big city” of Dayton to graduate from Miami-Jacobs College and became a maverick career woman. Not satisfied with being a standout executive secretary, she became the second only female salesperson in the country for the Jack Walkup Paper Company.

Introduced by a mutual friend, Norma met her husband-to-be Jerry in Dayton. Following their first date sledding down Suicide Hill and months of long-distance courtship while Jerry was in basic officer training in Quantico VA, they married October 6, 1956 in Dayton. Shortly thereafter, they moved to California where they were stationed at El Toro Marine Corps base. In early 1957, they moved back to Dayton for Jerry to run Hauer Music and to raise their family.

Norma received her pilot’s license when she was 46 and enrolled in nursing school at Sinclair Community College in her 70s. She was a straight A student and recipient of certificates in medical office and transcription and enjoyed going to classes while still in her 80s. Norma was also known for her adventurous side: Piloting an airplane, scuba diving, snorkeling and swimming in any body of water- pool, lake or sea. She was a golf trophy winner, master’s swim team member, volksmarcher and dedicated mother who attended every one of her kid’s sporting events, usually with a stop watch slung around her neck. A voracious reader and Boggle champion with a massive vocabulary, Norma always prompted her kids to “look it up” when they didn’t recognize a word. Norma especially enjoyed sharing her love of learning with others. She tutored and mentored countless Sinclair students.

She and Jerry were also generous supporters of the Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, SISCA and numerous other local charities. When Jerry served as President of the Rotary of Dayton 1998-89, Norma was co-host for many events including the international convention in Singapore. Norma also loved traveling and enjoyed trips to Mexico, Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, China, Bali, Belize and many other locales.

Norma is survived by her beloved husband of 64 years Gerald (Jerry) and children Shary, Clearwater Beach, FL, Michael and wife Nancy, Louisville, KY, James and wife Kathleen, Dayton, William, Dayton, Nancy, Seattle, WA, and Patsy and husband Francisco Engelhardt, Solana Beach, CA; six grandchildren, Tiffani Lykins (Matthew), Holli Davis (Russ), Eric Hauer (Kassie), Ashley Konnagan (Allan), Jacklyn Vietor (Eric) and Paulo Engelhardt; and two great grandchildren. Norma is preceded in death by her grandmother Mary Baxter Rose, mother, Clara Cisco Elliott, half-sisters Dorothy Simpson, Lavada Hoffman, and half-brothers Paul Cisco and Barry Cisco.

A strict immediate family-only gathering will be held Monday, November 23, 10:30 am at Routsong Funeral Home, Kettering. Live streaming of the gathering is available on Routsong’s You Tube channel. Blessing and burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery at 12:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Sinclair Community College Foundation where a Norma Hauer memorial scholarship for economically disadvantaged student nurses has been established. Memorial donations can be mailed to the Sinclair Community College Foundation, 444 W. Third St. Dayton, OH. 45402, or online at: https://give.sinclair.edu/NormaHauer

The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the Hospice of Miami Valley team especially Kathy Merker and the entire staff of the Carlyle House, Kettering for their loving care of Norma.