Norma Jean Roberts

Norma Jean Roberts, of Merritt Island, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at Hospice of Cape Canaveral Hospital with family by her side. Jean was born on October 4, 1930, in Fayette County, Alabama. She was raised in a Christian home, on a farm, where she learned to appreciate God’s great creation. As a young girl, she learned the pride and dignity of hard work and a job well done. After her graduation from high school, she attended Florence State Teacher’s College in Florence, Alabama. While a full time college student, she was also secretary to the Director of Physical Education and secretary of Sigma Tau Pi, her business fraternity, and active in a number of organizations. Jean graduated from college with a double major in Business Education and Business Administration and with a minor in English and Psychology. She met her future husband, Howard Roberts, while at the college. Following graduation she was asked to remain on the college staff as Assistant to the Director of Student Personnel. While in that position she met a Recruiting Officer from the newly formed National Security Agency, in Washington, D.C. From this meeting, Jean and Howard were both offered positions with the Agency. In August, 1954 following their wedding in Winfield, Alabama, they traveled to the Washington, D.C. area to begin work for NSA. After beginning their family, Jean resigned from NSA to be a full time mom. While her oldest children were in elementary school she was asked to be a teacher in their school. During that time, she developed a special reading program and was asked to serve as its director. She also began attending the University of Maryland, working toward a degree in elementary education. She chose to end her formal teaching career with the birth of her youngest daughter. Jean enjoyed entertaining and hosted dinner parties and luncheons in her home. She was a talented seamstress and interior decorator. She saw Gods handiwork in nature and enjoyed gardening, bird watching and boat rides. Jean and Howard toured Europe, multiple states in the U.S. and cruised to many of the islands in the Caribbean. Jean actively served the Lord all the days of her life as a loving wife and devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her greatest joy was in leading others to Christ. She was involved in churches in the D.C. area and also in Florida, where she and her husband retired. She was a member of Riverside Presbyterian Church in Cocoa Beach where she was active in Bible Studies, the Presbyterian Women’s Organization, the Prayer Circle and recording devotionals and prayers for the Dial-For-Life call in ministry. She served as a Deacon, and was given an Honorarium by the Presbyterian Women of Riverside. Jean is preceded in death by her parents William Felix Harbin and Eula Irene Harbin, brother Dale Harbin, half sister Jimmie Nell Murphy and son-in-law Shawn D. Crouch. She is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Howard, her daughters Renee’ Hart (Bob), Terri Rice (John), and Lisa Crouch, and her granddaughters Robin Hart and Stephanie Morgan (Mark), and the light of her life, her great grandsons Chase and Bryce Morgan. She is survived as well by countless additional family members and friends. Jean graced this life with her love, her compassion, her warm and engaging smile, and her faith for 86 years. Blessed are they who live and die in the Lord. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, March 23, 2017 at Riverside Presbyterian Church in Cocoa Beach, FL. The family will welcome friends at the church preceding the service, with a calling hour beginning at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Riverside Presbyterian Church, 3400 N Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach, FL 32931