Helen "Jean" Norford Hall

Helen “Jean” Hall (Norford), of New Cumberland, passed away on November 24th at the Carolyn Croxton Slane Hospice Residence, Harrisburg. Daughter of the late Charles B. and Romaine (Wollett) Norford, she was born on March 3, 1930 in Lemoyne.

Jean’s life was blessed with having several of her life goals fulfilled. After graduating from the former New Cumberland High School in 1947, she pursued her childhood dream of becoming a nurse, completing her education at Harrisburg Hospital School of Nursing in 1949. Her first and foremost career choice - mother - was a passion she pursued with unwavering patience and dedication. Married in 1949, Jeanne was wonderfully devoted to her six children: Julie Bowers (Tom) of New Cumberland, Michele Hartman of Little River, SC, Marianne Acri (Dan) of Wellsville, Christopher Hall (Stefan) of Frankfurt, Germany, Susie Maxwell (Brad Cassell) of Middletown, and Capt. Andy Hall (Ashleigh) of Pensacola, FL; her grandchildren, Jill Berry (Jason), Jeanna Bowers (Kendric), Justin Bowers, Melissa Albright (Ryan), Emilee Hartman, Melanie Hartman, Alex Hartman, Meagan Floyd (David), Daniel Acri (Nikki), Sean Maxwell (Marisol), Kyle Maxwell (Janelle), Andrew, Harrison and Ava Grace; and great-grandchildren, Ethan and Ella, Evan, Ricky and Bryce, Lily, Mason, Nora and Henry.

Always ready for a new adventure, she embraced life and faith fully and shared this with her wide circle of loved ones. Dedicated to pursuit, she shunned most material possessions – except for hot tea.

Her health condition eventually slowed down her participation as an active parishioner, member of the ladies’ auxiliary, children’s Bible School Teacher of Fairview Bethel church of God but its importance to her never waned.

Not one for suffering fools and with a taste for the novel, Jeanne contributed her unyielding faith and adventure-loving spirit to various grit-building experiences from her childhood, (such as the wind-whipping, rain-drenching long walks to and from school which were mysteriously uphill both ways).

Forever trying to melt the perma-frost from her hands, Jeanne was an intrepid traveler, visiting family mostly along the warm, coastal regions of the US and she made over thirty trips to Europe in her lifetime.

She was a “foodie” long before the term was coined. Aside from seafood, southern cuisine and Chinese food, she rapaciously indulged in such tongue-tingling delicacies as Long John Silver fish and McRib. A stalwart “tea-”totaler she proudly defended her record of never once having had an alcoholic drink. A trip to Europe eating a bowl of onion soup whose broth, unbeknownst only to her, was drenched in white wine lead to UFO-sized wide blue eyes and her sputtering, “This is the BEST onion soup I have ever had.” Howls were muffled at the table.

The men in her life were numerous – she was preceded in death by her husband, Ned Aaron Hall, son-in-law Randall L. Hartman and four brothers; Chuck, Harry, Ed and Millard. She is survived by her only sister, Sandra Norford Yetter (Haffly) of Camp Hill; sisters-in-law, Betty Norford of Camp Hill, and Ann Norford of Charlottesville, VA; and many nieces and nephews.

We will miss you … sorely. And we know that where you are going, you will never again have to utter that sentence that defined so much of your life – “It’s so cold in here!”

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10AM on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Fairview Bethel Church of God, 800 Old Forge Road, New Cumberland, PA 17070. Immediately following, a committal service will take place in Rolling Green Cemetery, 1811 Carlisle Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011.

In lieu of flowers, donations are being requested for The Deacon’s Fund of Fairview Bethel Church of God (www.fairviewbethel.org/) or Randi’s House of Angels (randishouseofangels.org/donate/) for children of domestic violence.