116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Norma Jean Finerty
Norma Jean Finerty
Cedar Rapids
Norma Jean Finerty, 93, of Cedar Rapids, passed peacefully on January 13, 2024, at Keystone Cedars in Cedar Rapids.
Norma was born June 10, 1930, in Keokuk, Iowa, to Sidney and Helen (Barnes) Lane. She married the love of her life, James Finerty, on April 17, 1953, in the middle of a blizzard. Together, they raised two children, Daniel and Deborah. In Norma’s earlier years, she spent her time as a para-professional at Pierce Elementary School, a bank teller at Collins Community Credit Union, and an Administrative Assistant at Rockwell Collins for 12 years until retiring in 1991. Her favorite role most of all was being a mother and grandmother. Norma volunteered over 1,000 hours at Mercy Medical Center, was an avid fan of the Iowa Hawkeye football and basketball teams, enjoyed her Pinochle Club and Breakfast Club, putting together puzzles, baking, and loved to go shopping. She was a creative artist who enjoyed sketching and painting. She was known for her generosity and love for children.
Norma is survived by her loving daughter, Deb (Steve) Dodson; two wonderful granddaughters, Ashley (Tayt) Weller and Megan (Cliff) Waterman; great grandchildren, Patrick Weller, Viviana Weller, Walter Waterman, and Kinsley Weller; brother-in-law, Paul Woodruff of Keokuk, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jim, son Dan, her parents Sidney & Helen Lane, and sister Willabelle Woodruff.
A special thanks goes to the employees at Keystone Cedars, where she lived for her last four years. A special thanks to her favorite tech Princess who became like family to her. A thank you to St. Croix Hospice for their dedication and kindness.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 21, 2024, from 4 to 7 PM at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral services will then be held at 10:00 AM, Monday, January 22, 2024, at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories. Entombment will follow in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.
A memorial fund has been established in her name.
Online condolences may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.
Daily Newsletters