Norma Jean (Gleason) Emerson Fetzner, 88 of East Springfield, passed away on Tuesday February 21, 2017 at her residence and is now in the arms of the Lord.

She was born December 15, 1928 in Erie, to Norman and Thelma Altstadt Gleason. She was the first grandchild of the late Francis and Ellen Reilly Altstadt. At five years of age, she and her family moved to Corry, for work during the depression; by that time, the family had added another daughter, Jane. Her youngest sister, Betty, was born in 1941, before the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was educated in the Corry schools and was an Honor student.

After graduation, Norma began her lifelong career at General Telephone Co.; eventually, changing ownership to Verizon. She started out as a switchboard operator and later was promoted to CTI, where she investigated fraudulent calls.

She was married twice; the first marriage resulted in one child, Mary Ann Emerson in 1949. She was her only child. She, with the help of her parents, raised her daughter in Corry. In 1964, she was transferred to Erie, when Direct Dial went into effect. They took one big trip before their move; to the New York World’s Fair, which was a wonderful mother/daughter experience.

After the marriage of her daughter in 1969, to Robert Granahan, Norma did begin to travel to far away destinations such as Hawaii, California and Florida and Seattle; as well as closer locales. Since 2011, after she recovered from cancer, she took many trips to visit her only grandchild, Caroline, in North Carolina and also went on a big family vacation to the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World, where she enjoyed celebrating her birthday with her loved ones in the Disney Resorts. Watching her family, in that happy place, was very joyful.

She married her second husband, Charles, in 1975. They were married thirty-three years before his death in 2009. She retired from Verizon after thirty-seven years of faithful service. She definitely deserved her early retirement at fifty-five years of age.

Norma had one granddaughter, Caroline Granahan-Miceli, who, with her husband, Kevin, gave her two beautiful great grandsons, Logan and Connor.

Her father preceded her in death in 1965. Her mother, sister Betty Stutzman and her children, Brian, Brenda and James passed away in a car-train accident in 1968. Jane Huff recently preceded her in 2017. Two brothers-in-law, Walter Stutzman and Joseph Huff; nephews, Michael and Timothy and Norma’s husband, Charles, preceded her as well.

She has resided with her daughter and son-in-law, Robert Granahan since 2011; they survive her; Caroline & Dr. Kevin Miceli and their children, Logan and Connor; her nieces and nephew, Susanna (Dennis) Akam, Cheryl (Timothy) McGrath, and Mark (Colleen) Huff, along with several great nieces and great nephews. Sue Gaerttner, Diane Monroe and Colleen Cerni, dear friends, are also surviving loved ones. The family dog, Penny, brought her daily joy and survives her as well.

Friends may call on Sunday from 2 p.m to 5 p.m at Edder Funeral Home, Inc., 309 Main St. East, Girard and are invited to a Prayer Service there on Monday at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 101 Olin Ave., Girard.

Burial will be in Trinity Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Springfield VFD, 11959 Main St., East Springfield, PA 16411 or to the St. John's Parish Center Building Fund, 101 Olin Ave., Girard, Pa 16417

To send condolences visit edderfuneralhome.com

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