Joan Frances Norton (née Burr), aged 90, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, passed away quietly at her home of natural causes on 23 December 2025, surrounded by her family. Known all of her life as “Jody”, she was born on 9 January 1935 to Albert J. and Madeline I. Burr of Royal Oak, Michigan. She graduated from Royal Oak High School in in the Fall Class of 1953. After graduation, she wed her high school sweetheart, Neal H. “Bunny” Norton, going on to have seven children.
Jody was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years in 2012, and by her first-born son, Steven, in 2017.
She is survived by her beloved children: Joel (and wife Sandra) of Mt. Juliet, TN; James (Clover) of Lascassas, TN; Todd (Joyce) of Clarkston, MI; Neal (Vickie) of Cookeville, TN; John of Washington, DC; and Jennifer (Leanna) of Auburntown, TN; and by six grand-children, and 10 great-grand-children.
Jody held lifelong friendships with a core group that she grew with with in Michigan. She loved playing the piano and was an organist at St. Daniel Catholic Church in Clarkston for many years. She was instrumental in teaching her son John and her grandson Chris how to play as they went on to become professional musicians.
And as you can imagine with seven kids to take for haircuts it became more economical to learn how to cut it yourself! She did such a good job, it then branched out to friends and neighbors!
Jody loved sewing her own clothes and for her children when they were young. She was always counted on to mend a tear and hem a pair of pants! Other passions include working NY Times crossword puzzles, playing speed-Freecell, and was a voracious reader of mystery novels.
Jody was also dedicated to her work outside the home; beginning the day that her last child, Jennifer, began kindergarten and never looked back! She began her career as Secretary to the Independence Township Supervisor in Clarkston, and moved south to work at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN where she forged numerous strong bonds with students and co-workers alike. A lifelong dream of Jody and Bunny’s was to move to Florida in their retirement. However, after arriving in Cape Coral they both got jobs well into their 70s. After retiring, Jody wanted to continue to stay active so she took her sister Barb’s path and volunteered at local hospitals. She truly loved every job she had throughout her life and was well respected at every stop along her journey.
Even with her commitment to wherever she was employed, her first and greatest passion was her children and extended family.
It would be an understatement to say she will truly be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her!
Please sign the Guestbook for the family. The Cremation Company, (615) 730-7956 https://www.cremcoservices.com
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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