Colene Norton died on August 10, 2016 at her residence in Go Ye Village, Tahlequah, OK. She and her husband, Will, had lived there in retirement since February 2004. She celebrated her 102th birthday last May.

Colene was born to Maude and Willie Woodard on May 19, 1914 on a farm outside of Smoaks, SC, and she earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia International University and an M.A. degree from the National Louis University, Evanston, Ill.

After she and Will were married, they served two terms as missionaries for the Evangelical Free Church in the Ubangi Territory of the Belgian Congo. Stationed at Tandala, Colene worked with Congolese women in education and personal development and home schooled her children. Upon returning to the United States, Colene ran an in-home babysitting service before taking a position doing office work at Sellstrom Manufacturing while she obtained her teaching certificate.

Colene began her teaching career in 1958 as a classroom teacher while completing her graduate work in education. After completing courses at Northwestern University for teaching perceptually challenged students, Colene taught students with learning challenges, beginning in 1963, and was named Teacher of the Year in Arlington Heights, Ill.

When asked by her principal why she was so effective with her students, she said, "Because they know I love them."

Colene and Will were active in teaching high school Sunday school at the Orchard Evangelical Free Church, Arlington Heights campus, and also were instrumental in the "Homebuilders" adult Sunday school class at the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church.

Colene in her early post-missionary years was a featured speaker at a weeklong girls camp in Williams Bay Wisconsin and directed evening Vacation Bible School for adults as well as children at the Arlington Heights Free Church.

After retiring from teaching, Colene lived in Jos, Nigeria, where her husband was the founding principal of Jos Evangelical Theological Seminary. She later lived in Jackson, MS, and Charlotte, NC, where Will taught at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Her ancestors helped to establish New Bern, NC, in 1710. However, for her, "home" was wherever she could serve others.

Her family and colleagues considered her a brilliant organizer and manager. When she met you she immediately knew you. She never met a stranger.

She is survived by Will, her husband of 77 years; sons, Will, Jr. (Susan), Peter (Jean) and Seth (Linda); grandchildren: Kathryn Vaughan, Inga Norton, Elisabeth Taylor, Marta Klock, Caroline Smith, William Norton, Mary Margaret Norton and Laine Norton; great-grandchildren: Coal Taylor, Will Taylor, Aria Taylor, Connor Vaughan, Carson Vaughan, Bella Smith, Noah Smith and Kinsey Lee Klock; and a brother, James Woodard. She was preceded in death by son Timothy Lambie and daughter Betsy Lynn and two great grandsons, Austin Kinsey Vaughan and Walker Lewis Vaughan.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Norton family scholarships at Wheaton College, Trinity International University, Columbia International University and Reformed Theological Seminary.