Cover photo for Norma Phyllis Fritton's Obituary
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1922 Norma 2014

Norma Phyllis Fritton

November 7, 1922 — June 24, 2014

Funeral services for Norma P. (Landerfield) Fritton age 91 of Phoenix, AZ will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at St. Teresa's Catholic Church in Clearwater, NE with Father Kramper, Officiating. Visitation will be 6 – 7:30 pm Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at the church with a Rosary at 7:30p.m. Burial will be in Dodge, Ne. Norma passed away on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 in Phoenix. Memorial Service will also be held at the Regency Mortuary in Sun City, AZ on Friday, June 27, 2014.
Condolences may be directed to the family at www.regencymortuary.com or www.snidermemorialfh.com Condolences may be directed to the family at www.regencymortuary.com or www.snidermemorialfh.com Norma Phyllis Landerfield Fritton was born to William and Barbara Landerfield on November 7, 1922 in Dodge, Nebraska. Norma was the youngest of five children. Her siblings were Margie, Wilma, Milada, and Richard. Norma grew up in the Dodge area. After graduation, she taught school until she was united in marriage to James Fritton in 1941. They were the parents of five children, Jay (deceased), Doug (Gloria) Fritton, Barbara (John) Mlnarik, Bill (Francine) Fritton, Kathleen (Larry) Webb.
Norma and Jim left Nebraska in 1941 and resided in California until they moved to Arizona in 1952. Norma taught school at St. Gregory's for a two years until she was invited to teach kindergarten at Sts. Simon and Jude in 1960. Her daughter, Kathleen, was in her first kindergarten class at Sts. Simon and Jude. Norma continued to teach kindergarten at Sts. Simon & Jude until her retirement at age 70. Norma graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Arizona State University in 1977. She also attended Grand Canyon College. She was fortunate to study under the well-known Dr. Kenneth Lehman, psychologist, and author of The Family Order, and Ramona Spaulding, the creator of the Spaulding Method of Phonics. Norma was a pioneer kindergarten teacher teaching children the Spaulding Method of Phonics and having the children able to read by first grade. Norma also conducted all the testing for children scheduled to begin first grade including kindergarten graduates and those having not attended kindergarten. Norma never had a shortage of parent aids to assist in the numerous Kindergarten activities, including the creation of the Jets and the Bombers fundraising baseball games, the full dress-up and Thanksgiving festivities with the kindergarteners involved in preparation of the feast. In addition, at Christmas, every kindergarten child had a costume for the pageant. Two years, 1981 and 1983, included a live baby Jesus as two of her grandson's in Phoenix were born in November. The kindergarten children practiced for and received beautiful hand-written (by Norma) diplomas for their graduation event. Norma was passionate about the fully-rounded education of these students. Norma, being a single mom beginning in 1964, worked at Montgomery Wards and sold World Book Encyclopedias to supplement her income to help raise her two minor children still living at home.

Two of her sisters, Margie and Milada, and their families, followed her to Arizona in the 60s and enjoyed close family relationships. Her brother and his wife, Opal, as well as her mother-in-law, made trips to Arizona every winter and stayed with Norma. Family trips back to Nebraska were enjoyed nearly every summer to visit the vast number of family members still residing in Nebraska including her daughter, Barbara, and her family.

Norma also had close family-like ties with the Loreto sisters, lay teachers and priests at Sts. Simon and Jude. They enjoyed activities such masses in her home, retreats, vacations, musicals and going out for meals. A trip to the Holy Land was one of the highlights of her life. Norma's other favorite past-times included activities with grandchildren, camping and fishing, gardening and music. Norma never had music lessons, but could play a variety of instruments not to mention "Rolling out the Barrel" on the accordion at every family event. Norma was in the church choir and sang the Ave Maria for many years at the Christmas midnight mass. Norma always enjoyed being known as the "life of the party." She will be dearly missed by her family and friends, but the fun-filled memories will keep everyone smiling in the years to come.
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