1930 – 2008

Norma Jean SEYMOUR. Norma was born in Melbourne in 1930 and spent most of her life in Springvale. She went to Springvale North and Springvale Primary Schools and then Prahran Technical School, where her interest in sewing began. She left school at the age of 14 and commenced work in a variety of jobs including as a tailoress at George's Fashion House, spending many years working at Femina in Carnegie as a corsetry designer. She used to call it "the meat packaging industry"!

Norma began making music at the age of six when she commenced piano lessons. While still working at Femina she started helping others to make music by teaching, and later this became her primary employment.

In 1941 the newly formed Church of Christ in Springvale needed a musician, and at the age of 11 Norma commenced playing the harmonium for their evening services. She became active in the youth group, playing the piano accordion at most of the youth functions. It was through the church that she first met Val in 1943. The were married in 1956 and they both remained active in the life of the church, with Norma playing for services, teaching Sunday School, running Junior Christian Endeavour and continuing involvement with the youth group.

As Norma would say, "it's not the stork that brings babies, but the little larks." In 1958 and 1959 her children Brenda and Philip arrived and her church activities were somewhat curtailed, but she continued to play for services. In the 1960s she began taking accordion, organ and piano students at home, and continued to teach throughout her life. In 1972, while still teaching many students at home, Norma decided to study for her Higher School Certificate. During this year her family grew from 2 to 6 children, aged 4 to 14, as she cared for the children of her brother-in-law Adrian when he was widowed. It was an amazing undertaking.

In 1981 and 1990 Norma welcomed Philip's wife Lyn and Brenda's husband Mark into the family. She delighted in her grandchildren, Lauren, Alistair and Daniel, and her nephews and nieces. She took particular pleasure in devising intricate and misleading wrappings for their Christmas presents.

About 40 years ago St John's Lutheran church asked Norma to lead their accordion band. In 1973 the organist of St John's left, leaving the congregation without a musician. Norma was asked to help out for a month, with the Pastor's wife translating for her and letting her know when to play, as the services were entirely in German. Her one month of helping out extended weekly for the ensuing 35 years, bringing her a total years of service to the Lord as a church musician to 68 years, just short of her stated desire of 70 years.

Norma and Val loved to travel, and took many trips in their caravan, including a number of extended tours around large sections of Australia. In later years, their travels extended to New Zealand, the UK and Europe, interspersed with trips to Indonesia and the Philippines, and more recently Brisbane, to visit Brenda and her family.

Back in 1990 Val took over responsibility for running weekly church services on Mondays at HL Williams Court and Southern Cross aged care facilities, and soon afterwards Norma began to provide music for these services. Norma soon recognised the opportunity to provide entertainment and musical therapy for the residents at HL Williams Court, and faithfully played there week by week. Later on, Darvall Lodge was added to her schedule, and more recently Wahroonga in Glen Waverley and the Springvale Nursing Home. She took great delight in researching music that the residents would remember and enjoy hearing.

Norma was promoted to glory on Tuesday 16th December 2008.



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