Norma Jean Will, 89, of Appleton passed away March 29, 2025 following a fourteen month  private yet courageous battle. Funeral service will be held at 10 am on Saturday April 12, 2025 in the chapel at First United Methodist Church 325 E. Franklin St Appleton, WI 54911.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

Norma was born December 21, 1935 in Woodstock, Illinois to Vera Edna (Draper) Campbell and Charles Fairbanks Campbell. She spent her early years at 811 South Jefferson with her parents and older sister, Marianne Lorraine. In 1951 the family moved to Milwaukee, WI where she attended Washington High School. In 1957, she earned her  bachelor's degree in special education with an emphasis on Deaf Education from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She went on to teach students in Eau Claire and Green Bay. She married Jess A. Will Jr. at Wauwatosa United Methodist Church in 1957 and they lived  in Menominee before settling in Appleton in 1959. Their daughter, Doris Will Uecker, was born in Appleton and married James Uecker.

Norma was passionate about helping others, devoting a lot of her time to volunteering. She  was very involved with the visually impaired (VIP) for over two decades. She was also proud of her involvement in DAR over the years. In 2021, Norma  received the Governor's Service Award for 20 years of RSVP volunteering. She also found great joy in knitting and used her talent to donate knitted items to those in need. Her commitment to  the service of others never went unnoticed and she left an indelible mark on all who knew her.

Norma had a deep respect for the environment and was proud to bring awareness to the importance of recycling and reusing. She used biodegradable materials, sourced locally grown food and encouraged others to recycle items such as styrofoam. Other hobbies included genealogy, puzzles, and cheering on Wisconsin sports teams, notably the Green Bay Packers. She looked forward every year to quality family time "up north" in St. Germain, WI.

She was a dedicated Methodist, a member of St. James Methodist Church and later a member of First United Methodist Church. She loved volunteering during Vacation Bible School and in the elementary classrooms. Her many prayer shawls warmed the shoulders and gave hope to those in need.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Jess Will, her sister, Marianne Hufford, her parents, Vera and Charles, as well as many other relatives and friends. She is survived by her loving daughter, Doris (James) Uecker, her granddaughters, Melanie (Brandon) Uecker and Nicole (fiancé Matthew) Uecker and the family dog, Macy who warmed her lap for the last five years. She is also survived by her niece Angie Hufford, nephew Craig (Sandi) Hufford and great niece, Rachel (Adam) Isla, Lukas, and Clare Tharp and great nephew Nick (Sarah) Abram, Maddyn and Oaklyn Hufford. Her granddaughters brought immeasurable joy to her life and she never missed an opportunity to share how proud she was of their accomplishments. She considered Brandon and Matthew her grandsons and enjoyed their company over the years. Following her husband's passing in 2015, she found a home at Ridgeview Highlands and was active within the community. She made special friendships and cherished every moment she lived there. The family would like to extend a gracious thank you to Norma's dear friends Sue, Sandra, and Dolores who, among many others, served as a testament to the joy and warmth that surrounded Norma each day. Special recognition to Dr. Hahn, Jennifer, Tina, Caroline, Brittney, Stephanie, Sally, DeDe and Dawn for all of their attentive care, encouragement and support. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired or Wisconsin Lions Foundation, Inc.