NORMA COREY TOWER, 85, lately of Swarthmore and Media, PA, formerly of Darien, Ct, of a cerebral hemorrhage. Former President of the Delaware Valley, PA League of Women Voters and member of both the National and International Board of Directors of the YWCA. Married 61 years to the late W. Gilmore (Gil) Tower. Devoted mother of Ken Tower of Titusville, NJ and Don Tower of Park City, Utah. Doting grandmother of Roger and Samantha Tower.
Norma was born in Lebanon and came to the US with her parents, George and Isabelle Corey, at age 2. As a young girl, she lived in the shadow of Fenway Park in Boston and developed a deep affection for the Boston Red Sox which survived unabated through her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. In 1950, she graduated from what is now the University of Rhode Island and moved to Washington, DC where she worked for the United States Census Department and met and married co-worker Gil Tower. Over the years, they lived in a number of places following his work in computers and management consulting; finally settling for about 20 years in Darien where they raised their children. Norma was active in her Episcopal church, the League of Women voters, and the YWCA. In the 1970’s, she co-founded the United Nations Hospitality Committee to support the wives of UN diplomats. In the 1980’s Norma worked on the staff of the Middle East Peace Department of the American Friends Service Committee. Norma was an accomplished pianist and singer. She sometimes filled in as a church organist and choir director and took part in many amateur productions, especially Gilbert and Sullivan, which she loved. She was always the “go to person” to lead sing-alongs and Christmas caroling wherever she lived.
In addition to her sons and grandchildren, Norma is survived by her brother Carl (wife Barbara) of Boston, brother in law Jay Tower (wife Bobbie) of Ashland, MA, and niece Sarah and nephews George and Alexander Corey and Douglas and Brian Tower.
Interment in Lexington, MA will be private.
An April memorial service is planned in the Swarthmore area.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Norma’s name to the Norma Corey Tower Endowed Scholarship at the University of Rhode Island. Donations can be sent to URI Foundation PO Box 1700 Kingston, RI 02881 ; www.urifoundation.org/, or the Alzheimer’s Association, http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp or the YWCA www.ywca.org.