Norma Jean (Sherman) Lavender was born on Jan. 23, 1930, in Aberdeen, Washington to James Clark Sherman and Neva Viola (Ross) Sherman and went to be with her Lord and Savior in heaven on July 6, 2022, in Montesano, Washington.

She was the eldest of five children and was a wonderful sister. Although most of her school years were spent in Hoquiam, she spent her senior year in and graduated in 1949 from J. M. Weatherwax High School in Aberdeen. She later graduated with a degree in nursing from Grays Harbor College, and performed a nursing internship at Seattle’s Virginia Mason Hospital.

While raising her children, Jerry and Jenay, Norma Jean spent her entire career in nursing caring for others. In her younger days Norma would hold taffy pulls for the neighborhood kids and her siblings. She made delicious lemon pies for her brother Grant, and sang beautiful songs with her closest sister Elsie. To the younger ones, Margaret and Larry, she was a second mother and sang songs to them. She was also very artistic and taught arts and crafts at Bible camp, Sunday school, and home. She was a long time member of the Cosmopolis Gospel Chapel and a committed Christian.

From childhood Norma Jean could not wait to have children of her own. She loved being a mother and provided loving guidance and high values to both of her children. She also loved cooking, was a fantastic clam digger, enjoyed her cats and never met an animal she did not love. Her love of music and singing was well known to everyone who knew her, and even in her latest years, her beautiful singing filled the halls of the rehab center where she resided. She was a generous friend and kind to anyone she ever met.

Norma Jean was pre-deceased by a daughter Penny Grace Childress and a son Billy Joe Childress, a grandson, her parents, and her brother Larry Sherman. She is survived by her beloved children, Jerry (Julie) Peyton of Elma, Washington and Jenay (Peyton) Lewis of Montesano, Washington; grandchildren Ian Peyton (Misty), Keyaira Peyton, Anna Miles and Derrick Lewis; two great-grandchildren; brother Grant Sherman of Puyallup, Washington, and sisters Elsie (Sherman) Hensley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Margaret (Sherman) Lutzvick of Olympia, Washington, and sister-in-law Joyce (Plato) Sherman.

The family would like to extend much appreciation and gratefulness to the Montesano Health and Rehabilitation Center of Montesano, Washington for the loving care of staff, nurses and doctors. Donations in her memory can be made to PAWS or the Union Gospel Mission.