Obituary of Norma F. Karczewski

Norma F. Karczewski of Spring Grove, IL, formerly of Winthrop Harbor, IL, passed away on January 18, 2020 at The Cottages of Fox Lake. Norma was born in Waukegan on July 23, 1921. Norma was employed with Pepsi-Cola of Gurnee, IL until retirement. She was a member of The Antioch Women's Club of Antioch, IL. Norma was a great athlete during high school, participating in swimming, diving and ice skating. Early in her life Norma was a member of the Women's Army Corps as a Calisthenics Instructor when World War II started. She met an Army Corporal, James Lafate Rea, at a USO dance and they married. And that union produced their only son, James Charles Rea. James Lafate was lost in combat in Normandy, France on July 27th 1944, at the rank of Sergeant. She was remarried a few times and eventually remained with her love, John Karczewski until his passing in 1992. Norma was a member of the ladies golf league at the Spring Valley Country Club of Salem, WI until the age of 95. Norma is survived by her son, James Rea; grandchildren, Joanne (Tom) Laufenberg, James Jacob (Elizabeth) Rea; & 5 great-grandchildren, Joseph Laufenberg, Benjamin Laufenberg, Bruce Laufenberg, James L Rea, Eva Rea. Visitation will be held Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Congdon Funeral Home, 3012 Sheridan Rd., Zion, IL from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with a Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Entombment will take place at Mt. Olivet Memorial Park in Zion. For those requesting a charity in her name, Norma was called to help educate indigenous Indian tribes. Hence, her family is going to help the Lakota Nation repair some government assisted homes and a church on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota with Next Step Ministries. Please make donations to Calvary Community Church, c/o Rob Bryant, PO Box 1200, Williams Bay, WI 53191. "Norma's High School Missions Trip" on the memo line ensures it's applied properly.