Norma Jean Blanton, of Maitland, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2025, at the age of 88 years.

Born and raised in Alma, Georgia, on October 16, 1936, to the late Simon Willard Peacock and late Annie Laura (Taylor) Peacock, Norma was the eldest of 5 girls and spent many days caring for younger sisters. She moved eastward to Asheville, North Carolina and then eventually made her way to Orlando, Florida in 1965. When she first came to Orlando, she fought the law of the time that stated women could not buy a home without a man's co-signature, successfully buying her own home.

"Mom", "Grandma", "Mema", and "(Aunt) Nomie" is survived by her 3 children Kevin, Tyler, and Paige, her 10 grandchildren, Dawson, Hudson, Jonathan, Quip, George, Maria, Madison, Morgan, Ethan, and Conrad, her youngest sister, Sandi, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She spent 15 years with the State of Florida, first with the Department of Transportation before getting a job as a Revenue Officer with the Department of Revenue. She was well known for her hard work and dedication to individuals and businesses who would often return to her due to her expertise with tax issues and her loyalty to them.

In her retirement, Norma loved getting out and meeting people. She enjoyed attending church services at First Baptist Church of Winter Park, where she was a member, and going to Senior Luncheons at Calvary Orlando. She was also very dedicated to her children and grandchildren, spending time with them as often as she could. Wherever she went, she could start a conversation with anyone and often those encounters led to enduring friendships.

Norma loved to cook and that skill likely started with her time growing up on the family farm in Alma. She never used cookbooks, and her family was often fortunate enough to eat her homemade Southern cooking. Some family favorites were her chicken fried steak, banana pudding, cherry cobbler, chicken and dumplings, green beans and of course, her breakfasts with grits, eggs, and buttermilk biscuits.

Norma was a strong, determined, and fiercely independent person. Her family is comforted knowing she is finally home, at peace, and enjoying time with family and friends who preceded her in death.

Special thanks to the wonderful doctors and nurses at Advent Health Hospital Orlando who provided invaluable care while our dear Mom was in the Neuro Intensive Care.

Services will be held at First Baptist Church of Winter Park on January 10th at 2pm. The public is welcome to a visitation beginning at 1:30pm. In remembrance, flowers may be sent to First Baptist Church of Winter Park by noon on Friday, January 10.