Jena Haun Norman, 83, of Cleveland, TN, died on Sunday, January 26, 2014.
She was born September 13, 1930, to the late Horace Greely Haun Sr. and Grace Gardner Haun of Tellico Plains, Monroe County. She attended Tellico Plains High School, graduating as Valedictorian, and continued her studies at Tennessee Wesleyan College where she again graduated with the highest marks in her class. Jena was a member of Westwood Baptist Church and taught mainly English Literature for many years, first at Bradley Central High School before moving to Cleveland High School when opened in 1967. She was an avid and dedicated teacher who provided a positive influence on the lives of many students. She did not seek accolades but did seek to serve others. Moreover, she was a faithful and loving wife, mother and grandmother as well as being a devout Christian.
In addition to her parents, Jena was preceded in death by her husband, Ennis E. Norman; three sisters, Opal Tallent, Hazel Clark and Lillian Wilson; two brothers, Horace Jr. and Glen; and nephew, Steve Haun.
She is survived by a son, W. Keith Norman and wife Gilda; grandchildren, Madeleine and George, all of England. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law: Nova Lee Haun of Valrico, Florida and Marie Sutton of Lexington, Kentucky; ten nephews: Glen Allen Haun and wife, Christine, of Seffner, Florida, Mike Haun and wife, Vickie, of Alexis, North Carolina, Hal Tallent and wife, Dale, of Alcoa, Harold Wilson and wife, Diane, of Tellico Plains, Charles Wilson of Schereville, Indiana, Larry Clark and wife, Patricia, of Burke County, North Carolina, Ray Norman of Cleveland, Gary Goodwin of Connecticut, Jeffrey Ward of Virginia and Eric Sutton of Lexington, Kentucky and nine nieces: Betty Tallent Perkins of Alcoa, Judy Haun Fowler and husband, Larry, of North Carolina, Carol Wilson Moses and husband, Larry, of Knoxville, Diane Wilson Wall and husband, B.J., of Tellico Plains, Linda Wilson Ellis and husband, Jerry, of Tellico Plains, Jean Cochran of Cleveland, Linda Parks and husband, Johnny, of Jonesborough, Lisa Ward of Virginia and Jennifer Sutton-Joanisse and husband, Marc, of London, Ontario. She is also survived by numerous grand nephews and nieces.
Her family wishes to express their appreciation and thanks to the many friends, neighbors and carers who provided such warm and heartfelt assistance and support to Jena during her later years, with a special mention to Kay and Dave Cummings, Myra Vaughn, Betty Hobby, Rose Lyle and Liz Massey.
Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, February 1, at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Reverend Jimmy Caywood officiating. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens with Larry Moses, B.J. Wall, Hal Tallent, Larry Clark ,Lawrence Gentry, Tim Riggs and Charles Smithserving as pallbearers.
Her family will receive friends from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, February 1, at the Ralph Buckner Funeral Home who has charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Jena H. Norman Memorial Fund, either by using the link provided or by calling their toll-free helpline on 1-800-272-3900. Alternatively, the family requests that memorials in the name of Jena either be made to Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, Tennessee, to be used for missions, or to Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, to be used for scholarships.