Norma J. Barnhart

Cumberland Foreside-Norma Jean Poole Barnhart died Monday, June 19, 2017 at her home in The Mooring on Foreside in Cumberland, surrounded by family. She was 89 years old. A native of Illinois, where she lived most of her life, she moved to Maine in 2011 to be close to her daughter, Jamie Barnhart Michaud of Cumberland Foreside. She was born September 26, 1927 in Lincoln, Illinois, the daughter of Mason Louis Poole and Betsy Hannah Kirkman Poole. Norma grew up in Lincoln, the oldest of the five Poole children. In May of 1945, as World War II was ending in Europe, she graduated with honors from Lincoln Community High School. She earned an academic scholarship from the State of Illinois to attend college at Illinois State University, and she started school there in the fall of 1945. It was at college that she met her future husband, James Edward Barnhart of Streator, Illinois. Norma and Jim were married on August 24, 1947 in Lincoln, Illinois, and settled in Bloomington, Illinois, where they lived most of their married life. More than any other activity, Norma loved to work. For most of her life, she combined being a wife and mother with working outside of the home. Norma worked as a legal secretary before her daughter was born. Later, when her daughter was just a year old, she became the parish secretary at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bloomington and often took her toddler daughter to work with her. She went on to work as a clerk in the McLean County Supervisor of Assessments office for seven years. Her favorite job was with the IBM Corporation office in Bloomington, where she worked for 23 years, retiring in 1989 with the title of administrative marketing specialist. She loved her work with IBM; the company gave her many opportunities for professional development and advancement, as well as travel throughout the country. In addition to her love of working outside the home, Norma was an exceptional homemaker. Her homes were always beautiful, and she was an excellent cook, especially skilled at baking pies. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, a devoted daughter and sister, and a beloved aunt. Her favorite role was that of grandmother; her grandchildren provided her with complete joy. Everywhere she lived, Norma made lasting friendships with her neighbors and with members of her church communities. She could be counted on to provide assistance to anyone in need. Norma never liked sitting still, except for a good movie or a television crime drama, and she loved challenges. She played bridge most of her life and love the game because it was mentally challenging. In her 40's, she decided she wanted to learn to play golf, so she took lessons and was an avid golfer until the age of 83. She loved to travel, and in retirement, she fulfilled a lifelong wish to tour the United Kingdom, the homeland of her ancestors; her grandparents emigrated from England to the United States. Norma also loved the Episcopal Church. She became an Episcopalian after marrying Jim, and she was a devoted, active, and valued member of every church she attended: St. Matthew's in Bloomington, Illinois; Christ the King in Normal, Illinois; St. Andrew's in Las Cruces, New Mexico; and St. Bartholomew's in Yarmouth, Maine. After they retired, Norma and Jim lived for a few years in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and next spent a few years in Yarmouth, Maine. While living in Yarmouth, at the age of 72, Norma became a seasonal employee of LL Bean, taking telephone orders. She loved that job too. Jim missed Illinois, so they moved back there in 2002. After Jim died in August of 2010, Norma began to make plans to move to Maine to be close to her daughter, which she did in 2011. Norma lived independently until a year ago, when her struggle with Alzheimer's disease made assisted living necessary. She received excellent care in the past year at Foreside Harbor and Falmouth by the Sea in Falmouth, and most recently at The Mooring on Foreside in Cumberland. Norma's family is deeply grateful to our friend Brenda Boykin, who visited Norma weekly during the last two years of her life, and to all of her caregivers, especially those who gave her so much love and attention in the final weeks of her life. Norma is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and Joe Michaud of Cumberland Foreside; her grandson, Alexander James Michaud of Seattle; her granddaughter, Katharine Claire Michaud of Portland, Maine; two sisters, Carol (Elvin) Schmidt of Florida and Illinois, and Linda Sue (Joe) Diers of Lincoln, Illinois. She is also survived by eight nieces and five nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Robert Louis Poole, a sister, Mildred "Mickey" Poole Gehlbach, and four nephews. Her funeral will be Wednesday, June 28 at 4 p.m. at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 396 Gilman Road, Yarmouth. A committal service will be held in August at Christ the King Episcopal Church in Normal, Illinois, with burial at East Lawn Cemetery in Bloomington, Illinois. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 396 Gilman Road, Yarmouth, ME 04096 or to the Alzheimer's Association - Maine Chapter, 383 US Route 1, Suite 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.