Norma Jean Whitham Burgess was born at the family home on Markland Road in Cotton Township, Switzerland County, Indiana on February 8, 1929, to Clyde Dale Whitham and Emma Agnes (Keith) Whitham. Norma grew up in Cotton and York Townships on the farms where her family made a living. She attended schools at Greenwood Primary school on Markland Pike and Florence Elementary School in Florence Indiana. She was a 1947 graduate of Patriot High School in Posey Township.
Norma was married to Lillard Russell (Shorty) Burgess at the New Liberty Baptist Church in East Enterprise, IN on September 26, 1948. Norma lived the remainder of her life at the home she and her husband established in Posey Township in 1948. During her marriage to her husband, they were blessed with four children. Michael Dean, born in 1949, Linda Sue, born in 1951, Nancy Kay born in 1954, and Claudia Fay born in 1957.
Norma was predeceased, by her twin sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Ellen Marie in 1917, by her mother in 1949, by her husband in 1983, by her father in 1986, by her brother Verle Francis in 1995, by her brother Lloyd Nathan in 1996, by her daughter Nancy Kay Lucas in 2009, by her grandson Todd Michael Burgess in 2009, and by her sister Helen Nadine Hankinson in 2017.
She is survived by her children, Michael (Shirley), Linda (William Powell) and Claudia (John Godfrey), her grandchildren, Travis Jellison (Kelli), Ashley Jellison, Treavor Powell (Summer), Ty Powell and step-grandson Bradley Hager. By great grandchildren, Kinsley Jellison, Shelby Jellison, Trinity Jellison, Trenton Jellison, Jayden Jellison, Nora Powell and Caleb Powell. Also by Great-Great grandchildren, Xaiden Miller and Jaxon Yates.
Visitation will be from 4 PM to 7 PM on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at the Markland Funeral Home in Rising Sun, Indiana. Funeral Service will be at 11 AM on Monday March 20, 2023 at the New Liberty Baptist Church on Indiana Highway 250 in East Enterpise, IN. Norma will be laid to eternal rest with her husband and parents in the family plot at New Liberty Cemetery upon completion of Funeral services.
Memorial donations in Jean’s honor may be made to the New Liberty Cemetery.