Norma Celia (Gardiner) Finfrock, formerly of Martinsburg, passed away peacefully under the care of HPH Hospice at her daughter’s home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida on Monday evening, November 5, 2018.

Norma was born in Wakefield, Rhode Island on January 17, 1923 and was the daughter of the late Benjamin Lawton Gardiner and Mary Louise (Rose) (Gardiner) Everitt.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Charles Finfrock, whom she married on March 18, 1946 in Fall River, Massachusetts, and by their son, Joseph Wiesner Finfrock. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Phyllis Marie (Gardiner) (Ramsden) Keidash, her step-father, Henry Raymond Everitt, and a step-sister, Virginia Onalee (Everitt) Scarpa.

She is survived by her daughter, Charlene Marie (Finfrock) Babovich and her husband Wayne of New Orleans, Louisiana, her daughter, Martha Susanne Finfrock, with whom she resided, and her son, Reverend Gregory Philip Finfrock and his wife Karen, of Wildwood, Missouri. She is also survived by four granddaughters, Sarah Michelle (Babovich) Offner and her husband Colin of New Orleans, Stacy Angelle (Babovich) Karavich and her husband Janusz “Jack”, of McLean, Virginia, Celia Ann Finfrock and her fiancé, Jared Fuller, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, and Hannah Rebecca Finfrock of St. Louis, Missouri. Norma’s half-brother, Raymond Ellsworth Everitt of Tarpon Springs, Florida also survives.

Norma was also blessed with four beautiful great-grandchildren who survive her: Emile Merlyn and Ellis Michael Offner of New Orleans and George Emmett and Sophia Emmeline Karavich of McLean.

Norma was a member of Calvary United Methodist Church for over 60 years serving in numerous positions of leadership, including Treasurer for many years.

Norma’s life was filled with service to her church and community and her passion to educate and inspire the lives of children and adults was a role model to many. She was active in the Eastern Panhandle (Shawnee) Girl Scout Council in her younger years serving as a troop leader and Roundup and Camping Chairman; she served as President and Treasurer of the Literacy Volunteers of the Eastern Panhandle; she was a Co-founder, Treasurer, Chairman and Trainer for Read Aloud Berkeley County; she served as President, Treasurer, Federation Convention Delegate and South Atlantic Regional Treasurer for Soroptimist International of Martinsburg; she was a member of the Berkeley County League of Women Voters, serving as President and Forum coordinator; she served as Chairman of the Berkeley County Chapter of the American Red Cross and she served as Treasurer and Newsletter Editor for Chapter S, P.E.O.

She served on the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival Board for several years, and served as Chairwoman of the Apple Harvest Ball in 1980.

She was also a member of Golden Rule Chapter #69, O.E.S., Daughters of the Nile, and served as Mother Advisor to Martinsburg Assembly #33, Order of Rainbow for Girls in addition to being a member of the South Kingstown Assembly #6 Order of Rainbow for Girls.

The family will receive friends at Brown Funeral Home, 327 West King Street, on Monday evening, November 12th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday morning, November 13th at 11:00 AM with interment to follow at Rosedale Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Calvary United Methodist Church, 220 W. Burke Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401 or Read Aloud West Virginia, P.O. Box 1784, Charleston, WV 25326 (www.readaloudwestvirginia.org).