Obituary of Norma Ruth Byers

Norma Ruth (Spurr) Byers was born March 5, 1929, at Universal, Indiana to Burl and Elizabeth (Haxton) Spurr.

Norma graduated from Van Buren High School in 1947. On May 22, 1948, Norma married Raymond Byers in Carbon, Indiana. The couple were blessed with five children: Melinda, Becky, Alan, Jane, and Philip. The couple moved to Indianapolis in 1950 and in 1968 moved to Clarinda, Iowa. Raymond and Norma moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 2000 to spend their retirement years. Norma and Raymond were members of Clarinda and Broadway Methodist Churches.

Norma loved camping and fishing with her family and was a huge baseball fan. The Cubbies and Royals and the Iowa Hawkeyes were her favorites. She was an avid reader and always enjoyed trips to the library. Norma was a longtime Sunday school teacher, directed the Christmas pageant for many years, and was active in the United Methodist Women. She was a Girl Scout leader and a chaperone for the Miss SW Iowa pageant. Norma made an impact on many people in her 93 years!

But the main joy in her life was her family – Raymond, the children, the 32 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. Nothing brought her more joy than to be around family and to be on the receiving end of their hugs and kisses. She could name each one, and her apartment was filled with pictures of them.

Norma spent her final years as a resident of The Rose in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and made many great friends. She loved the staff at The Rose, and the residents took great care to make sure she was taken care of. Her chair in the dining center will be empty, and her friends will miss the joy and stories of her family that she shared every day.

Norma passed away August 30, 2022, at Council Bluffs, Iowa at the age of 93. Norma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Raymond in 2015 and daughter Jane in 1982, and siblings Margaret, Jean, Thomas, Alexander, Norman, and Raymond.

Norma is survived by children Melinda Dye of Avon IN; Becky Wise (Allen) of Blue Springs MO; Alan Byers (Sandy) of Council Bluffs IA and Philip Byers (Star) of Clarinda IA; son-in-law Rodney Steeve of Clarinda IA; 32 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.