Norma was born in Portland, Maine, to Forrest and Eleanor (Bruns) Jannell on April 29, 1930. She was educated in Portland, graduating from Deering High School in 1947 and Westbrook Junior College in 1949 with a degree in secretarial science. Norma was working as a legal secretary in Portland and singing in the choir at her church, where she met her future husband, James (Jim) G. McLoughlin. They were married on March 15, 1958, and Norma welcomed a stepson into the marriage.
While the family lived in New York, Norma’s working career continued as secretary to the director of Lamont Geological Observatory, a division of Columbia University. The family moved to Brunswick, Maine, in 1970, and Norma and Jim formed a publishing company, Harpswell Press. When that business came to an end, she joined the staff at Bowdoin College in the Office of Communications for 15 years, retiring in 2000.
Norma was a breast cancer survivor and participated in the Survivor’s Walk in the Relay For Life, always an emotional event for her. She embraced others suffering from cancer. Norma volunteered for the American Cancer Society, as well as the Red Cross.
An active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church since 1970, Norma served as past secretary and president. She sang in the choir with her beautiful soprano voice.
As a young woman, Norma was an avid horseback rider, skier and Girl Scout.
Norma was a selfdescribed “tree hugger” and loved all aspects of nature. She enjoyed her flower gardens, all creatures and especially the ocean. She was an extremely kind-hearted, spiritual person.
Norma was predeceased by her husband, Jim, on March 31, 2014; her stepson, Terrence McLoughlin, in 2010; her parents, Forrest and Eleanor, brothers Arthur, Robert and Raymond Jannell, and a sister Dorothy Grant. She is survived by her daughter, Anne McLoughlin, and her husband, Alan Hummer, of Brunswick; son, John McLoughlin, and his wife, Elizabeth Peavey, of Portland; daughter-in-law, Arlene McLoughlin of Bloomingburg, NY; grandchildren Michael McLoughlin and his wife, Alice, of Cambridge, MA; Susan and Thomas McLoughlin of Bloomingburg; Jared and Kristen Hummer of Brunswick; greatgrandchildren Anna and Oliver McLoughlin of Bloomingburg; and by her beloved sister, Florence Morris, of Portland.
The family would like to acknowledge the exceptional care and compassion given to Norma from her “other family,” the staff at Midcoast Senior Health.
A funeral service will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 330 Maine St., Brunswick, on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, where memorial condolences may be made at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.
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