Norma (Hathaway) Stewart

Norma Hathaway Stewart, of Reed Street, Tiverton, died Friday, July 27, 2012 on her 89th birthday, at the Sarah Brayton Nursing Care Center of Fall River, MA. Born on July 27, 1923 in Fall River, she was the daughter of the late Asa W. and the late Mary C. (Schlegel) Hathaway. After the earliest years of her career, running a home-based nursery school, Mrs. Stewart took up the role of correspondent gathering news of Tiverton and Little Compton for the Newport County Sentinel, the Sakonnet Times and the Fall River Herald News. She then went on to work for the Carol Guimond Agency for 38 years in real estate sales. She was a charter member and past president of the Greater Tiverton community Chorus, founded in 1980.0 Norma was a talented painter, focusing especially on Tiverton landscapes and water scenes. She enjoyed membership in the former Young Womens Community Club, in the Tiverton Historical Society and in the Tiverton Garden Club. She organized the first Tiverton town-wide cleanup of roadsides and beaches, recruiting 400 volunteers to the task. That these efforts are still ongoing annually in Tiverton made her proud and glad. She is survived by her sister Ruth E. Manchester of Tiverton, RI, her daughter, Leslie Stewart Simonson and her husband Charles of Tiverton, RI, her granddaughter, Mary Simonson Burch and her husband Matthew, two great grandchildren, Alana Kim Burch and Aidan Earle Burch as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She was the mother of the late Wendy Larkin Stewart, and the sister of the late Roswell A. Hathaway, Margaret H. Boomer and Kathryn H. Cressy. Normas memorial service will be held on Saturday August 25th, 2012, at 11:00am in the Amicable Congregational Church, 3804 Main Road, near Tiverton Four Corners, where she was a proud 4th generation member and where her 70 years in the church choirs, starting as a child, were part of her many and varied activities in that congregation. Of all her involvements in area volunteer organizations, her church participation gave her the most joy year by year. Burial will precede the sanctuary service at Hillside Cemetery, across the road from the church beginning at 10 a.m. A noontime reception will follow the service, in the churchs upper hall.I n lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Amicable Congregational Church, Music Ministry, 3804 Main Road, Tiverton, RI 02878. Cemetery Details Hillside Cemetery Four Corners Tiverton, RI, Service AUG 25. 11:00 AM Amicable Congregational Church 3736 Main Road, Rte. 77, Tiverton Four Corners Tiverton, RI, US, 02878