Dawn Juanita (Thompson) Norman

Dawn Juanita (Thompson) Norman, age 94,  passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 4, 2025.  Dawn was born in Akron and raised her family in Copley.  For 50 years, she and her loving and devoted husband, Robert E. Norman, shared the Fairlawn home that he built for her. Robert, “Bob,” passed away in 2023 after 73 years of marriage.

Dawn graduated from Garfield High School.  She worked as a tailor in her Uncle Dale Swift’s dry cleaning business in Akron before becoming a dedicated homemaker.  She took putting a meal on the table with all of the dishes hot seriously!  She was proud of her children and found joy in caring for her family and her beloved cats. She was a voracious reader and enjoyed riding several miles on her 3-speed bicycle until she was nearly 90 years old. She was a woman of faith and was a member of the Chapel in Akron.  She loved Sky-Way. She loved playing the piano and took great pride in her many needleworks, and knitting sweaters, afghans, scarves and mittens for her children and grandchildren.

Dawn was a high-ranking member of the “Grammar Police,” who would regularly contact public figures to tell them they had misused words such as “further” and “farther,” or, the worst offense,  using the dreaded word “snuck”!     However, those same vocabulary skills made her a highly sought-after proofreader.    She also carried on the legacy of a notorious aunt, known as “The Great Dust Inspector,” who would make unannounced visits and point out overlooked cobwebs and dust or windows that needed cleaning.

Besides, her husband, Robert, Dawn was predeceased by two sons.  She is survived by four sons, six grandchildren, one great grandchild - with another expected soon.

The family is deeply appreciative to the incredible, special staff members, past and present, at Brookdale-Montrose and Phoenix of Fairlawn (Windsong) for their dedication and compassionate care for both Bob and Dawn following their strokes three years ago.

Calling hours for family and friends will begin at 10:00 am followed by a service at 11:30 am. on Friday, October 10, 2025, at Ciriello & Carr Funeral Home 39 South Miller Road, Fairlawn, OH 44333.  Burial at Copley Cemetery will follow. 

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Haven of Rest (havenofrest.org) or The Chapel in Green (tcig.org), who visited Dawn faithfully in her final years.