Obituary of Norma L. Rew

Norma Leona Rew passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Colonial Manor Care Center in Middle Amana. Funeral services will be held at 10:30am Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City (Sunday parking ordinance in effect for streets around the church). Graveside services will be later that day at 2pm at the Scott Township Cemetery near Winfield, Iowa. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 pm Monday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. Memorial donations can be made in her memory to Essence of Life Hospice or the First United Methodist Church. To share a memory, thought or condolence please visit the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com. Norma was born April 26, 1921 on the family farm near Winfield, Iowa, to Chester and Edna Aronhalt Ross. The youngest of four children she graduated from Winfield High School in 1939, her claim to fame having been that she won the Henry County Spelling Bee during Seventh Grade. In March, 1942 Norma married her high school sweetheart, Maurice Swan, who was killed on May 8, 1944 having been shot down over Germany during WWII. Norma went to work as the office secretary for Winfield School. Fortunately, in the fall of 1947, the school hired a young dashing teacher and coach, Orrie Rew. Though decades of debate never concluded who chased who around the desk first, they were nevertheless married that next summer at the Little Brown Church in Nashua on June 2, 1948. Norma and Orrie enjoyed many years in Winfield, where all 4 of their children were born, before moving to Iowa City in the fall of 1961 after Orrie was hired to teach and coach at City High School. Norma was a loving stay-at-home mom, then a successful neighborhood Avon lady and next a virtual baby whisperer at the First United Methodist Church Parents Day Out Program, where she was a longtime member. She was an avid fan of City High, the Iowa Hawkeyes or anything her children or grandchildren were performing in. In later years, Norma worked alongside Orrie as he managed Fairview Golf Course clubhouse. They greeted and became friends with young and old alike for 10 years from 1991-2001. There her already great reputation as a warm and caring “Hugger” grew to legendary proportions! She treated babies like people with rights and adults like adored children. She will be missed by many and most of all her family. Norma was preceded in death by her husband Orrie Rew, her former husband Maurice Swan, Her parents, Chester and Edna Ross, her two sisters Lucille Sheckler, Icyle Logan and her brother and his wife Leslie and Etta Mae Ross. She is survived by her children, Leora (Steve) Houghton, Ken (Ginny) Rew, Terry (Susan) Rew, Rob (Tracy) Rew. Her grandchildren, Cari (Bob) Everhart, Jeff (Michelle) Houghton, Jon (Annie) Houghton, Scott Houghton(Charissa Laisy), Brad (Bridgette) Rew, Molly Rew, Chris (Tara) Rew, Jeremy Rew, Katelyn Rew, Corey Rew, Matt Rew, Mike Rew, Sam Rew. Great grandchildren, Ella, Cole and Oscar Everhart, Jesus and Rosie Escalara Rew, Madeleine Wehmeyer, Elias and Rew Houghton, Kylie, Nick, Raelyn and Lucy Houghton and infant Orrie Rew.