Norma Jane Watts, 83, of Duncanville, IL, passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson, IL. She was born in Robinson on January 11, 1942, and grew up in the Porterville area. She was the sixth of thirteen children, a place in the lineup that shaped her early years more than anything else. Life was not easy for the Tracy family. They all piled into only a couple of bedrooms, kept warm by pot-bellied stoves, and did without running water. Those early years were full of crowded spaces, shared blankets, and long days of chores, but through them, Norma learned to work hard, to help others, and to make do with what you had. Those lessons never left her.
When she reached high school, responsibility called her beyond the walls of home. She lived with Jack & Dorothy Beard, helping as a housekeeper, and later with the Tennyson family as a babysitter. She spent her weekdays earning her keep and made her way back home on weekends. Her life was not one of leisure, yet she stepped into every season with dependability and a willingness to give her best.
It was during this time that a simple moment changed everything. On the courthouse square in Robinson, Norma met a boy named Jerry Watts. They spent three months getting to know one another and decided they had seen enough to know it was right. Norma was only sixteen when they married on October 10, 1958. In the beginning, Jerry liked to go out with his buddies, but Norma steadied him. Together, they built a marriage that weathered its share of storms and celebrated its share of joys. In the end, it became a life shaped by loyalty and affection that lasted 67 years.
Norma entered adulthood the only way she knew how: by working. She waitressed at the bowling alley when she and Jerry were newly married, then spent time at Crawford Electronics, TRW, and Suttle Apparatus in Lawrenceville. She also worked at the Country Cupboard in New Hebron and ironed clothes for extra income. Hard work was never a burden. It was a rhythm she trusted and a way she cared for her family.
Though she worked hard, she also had her own way of carving out joy. When her girls were young, she would drop them at the roller rink, then slip away to play Bingo. She loved the Covered Bridge Festival and the simple pleasure of picking up an item, turning it over in her hands, and hunting for a bargain. She could shop anywhere and be perfectly happy. JCPenney, K Mart, but especially Kohl’s (she never let one dollar of Kohl’s Cash go to waste!) She enjoyed country music and smiled every time Marty Stuart or Hee Haw came on the television. She liked people, liked conversation, and simply did not know a stranger.
Above everything else, though, Norma loved her family. Her children and grandchildren were the constant topic of her conversations. She showed up for school programs, games, concerts, and events, always doing her best to make sure no grandchild felt overlooked. If someone needed help, she offered it. If someone needed an ear, she listened. Her love was measured not in big gestures but in steady presence and practical care.
Sundays became the heart of her home. Family gathered around her table, sharing meals and catching up on life. Summers were filled with green beans spread across laps as everyone sat in a circle in the backyard, snapping them while talking and laughing. There was always canning to do, tomatoes and beans lined up for the months ahead. In her kitchen, everyone had a favorite. Her noodles and peach cobbler were legendary, and on every birthday, the person of honor got to pick their cake. (Jerry always chose the cobbler.)
While Sunday afternoons were given to her family, Sunday mornings were her offering to the Lord. Norma was a longtime member of Duncanville Baptist Church. Her attendance varied over the years, but in her later days, she tried faithfully to be there every Sunday. It mattered to her to be part of that community, but even more, to worship the God who has now welcomed her home.
Norma lived a life shaped by resilience, steadied by love, and defined by family. Her hands worked hard, her home stayed warm, and her heart never met a stranger. And those gifts will outlast her, carried forward by the people who loved her most.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Jerry Watts; by her children & their spouses, Patty & Terry Patton, Cheryl Martin & fiancé, Randy Mikeworth, Sarah & Todd O’Dell, and Teresa & Steve Waggoner; by nine grandchildren, Chastity, Angela, Erica, Maisie, Heather, Daniel, Mikayla, Brian Jacob “BJ”, and Paige; by several great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; by her siblings, Linda Pethtel, Lois Ann Dunlap, Charles & Debbie Tracy, and Bob & Pat Tracy; by her brother-in-law, Everett Watts; by her sisters-in-law, Carol Tracy and Florence Tracy; as well as several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyle Arthur Tracy & Letha M. (Smith) Tracy; by her parents-in-law, John & Rosetta Watts; by her siblings, LeRoy Tracy, Jimmie Lee Tracy, Lowell Dean Tracy, Donald Tracy, Lloyd Tracy, Mary Westbrook, David Tracy, and Leon Tracy; as well as several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
A time of visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 p.m., with Pastor Mike Irvin officiating. Burial will be in the Robinson New Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, with envelopes available at the funeral home.
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