PENNY LOUISE NORTON
PENNY LOUISE NORTON
Mrs. Penny Louise Norton, age 65, passed away in her home in rural Hull, Illinois, on June 13, 2021, surrounded by her family. Penny was born on October 28, 1955 in Quincy, Illinois, the daughter of Lovelace Green and Georgia (Logsdon) Green Richter.
She graduated from Highland High School in 1973, and attended Northeast Missouri State University (Truman State University) in Kirksville, MO where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1977. She went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education from NMSU in 1983.
Penny influenced many lives during her 29-year career as a business educator at both the high school and college levels. She started her career at Knox County High School, teaching there from 1977 to 1983, followed by a three-year term at Highland High School from 1984 to 1987. She then taught for 12 years at John Wood Community College before finishing her career at West Pike High School in Kinderhook, IL and Western High School in Barry, IL from 2000 to 2008. She was honored with the Pike Press Teacher of the Year Award in 2007.
She met her husband of 38 years, Jeff, while living in Edina, Missouri. They married on November 26, 1982 and were blessed with two children, JRyan and Rachel. They relocated to Quincy in 1988 and later moved to rural Hull, Illinois, in 1998.
Along with a passion for teaching, Penny enjoyed gardening, reading, and cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals. She was a parishioner at St. Peter Catholic Church in Quincy, IL. Penny was well known among family and friends for her home cooking. Cherished most of all, though, was the time spent with her four grandchildren.
She leaves behind her husband, Jeff, and two children, JRyan (Melissa) Norton of Payson, IL ,and Rachel (Dane) Killam of Quincy, IL; her mother, Georgia (Logsdon) Green Richter of LaGrange, MO, and father-in-law and mother-in-law, JV and Joyce Norton of Knox City, MO; sisters, Shirley Green (Steve Kaylor) of LaGrange, MO, and Becky (Dan) Briddle of Quincy, IL,; and sisters-in-law, Jacki Holland of Grain Valley, MO and Joan (Dannie) Dale of Knox City, MO; grandchildren, Gwen, Jace, and Elle Norton and Jak Killam; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Lovelace Green and stepfather, Bob Richter.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Thursday, June 17, 2021, at St. Peter Church in Quincy, IL with Monsignor Leo Enlow officiating. Burial was in Mark’s Cemetery in LaGrange, MO.
Penny requested memorials be made to the QMG Cancer Institute, Blessing Cancer Center, or Mayo Clinic Cancer Research.
Pallbearers: Jeffrey Norton, JRyan Norton, Dane Killam, JV Norton, Dan Briddle, Dannie Dale
Honorary Pallbearers: Jerry Logsdon, Danny Logsdon, Fred Layman, Steve Kaylor, Austin Holland and Brennan Briddle
