NORMA JEAN MUEHRING

Norma Jean (Lillard) Muehring, 73, went home to be with her Lord on January 25, 2016, following a difficult battle with lupus and primary biliary cirrhosis.

Mrs. Muehring was born on April 15, 1942, in Lewis County, Missouri, to the late Jake and Martha Lillard. Following her graduation from Monroe City High School in 1960, she pursued two years of secretarial studies at Hannibal-LaGrange College. On October 13, 1962, she married Merle Richard Muehring of Palmyra, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Muehring have resided in a number of locations over the past 53 years, including Hannibal, Rensselaer, Chatham, Ill.; Taylorville, Ill.; Decatur, Ill.; and from 1979 to the present, rural Palmyra, Mo.

A Christian devoted to serving the Lord, Norma dedicated her life to loving and raising her family, serving in her church and community, and investing in the lives of others. She especially loved children and, in addition to investing in the lives of her own children and grandchildren, served for many years as a preschool Sunday school teacher. While in Illinois, she also served as a church secretary and a youth leader. Once her youngest son entered school, she began working full time as a customer service representative for the Hannibal natural gas office of Atmos Energy, retiring early in 1997. She then carved candles at the Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, MO, a job she held until 2005. In addition to candle carving, Norma learned and enjoyed many crafts through the years: cooking, especially candy making at Christmas time, cake decorating, landscape painting, macramé, plaster craft, sewing, quilting, and gardening. She always made the Christmas holidays special for those she loved, so it was fitting that she enjoyed her last Christmas at home surrounded by loved ones.

Norma is survived by her husband, Merle Muehring; her daughter and son-in-law, Wendy and Samuel Pelletier, of Cleveland, Georgia, and their two children, Joshua and Lydia; her son and daughter-in-law, Phillip and April Muehring, of Cannon Falls, MN, and their four children, Braxton, Colton, Cassie, and Jessica; her son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Michelle Muehring, of Columbia, MO, and their two children, Willamina and Eleanor; her brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Doris Lillard, of Durham, MO; her niece and nephews, Deanna Dehner, Carl Lillard, and Joe Lillard, and their families; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gene and Karol Muehring, of Peoria, Il; her nephew and niece, Jeff Muehring and Deanna Muehring, and their families; her step nephew and step niece, Price Fowler and Shannon Fowler; her brother-in-law, Ray Muehring of Monroe City, MO; as well as numerous cousins, friends, and neighbors. She was greatly loved and will be missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Jake and Martha Lillard, and step-mother Pat Lillard; parents-in-law Ahrend and Ruth Muehring; sister-in-law, Margaret Lillard; sister-in-law Judy Muehring; and her nephew, William Lillard.

Funeral services were held January 30, 2016, at Lewis Brothers Funeral Chapel in Palmyra, Mo.

Interment was at Greenwood Cemetery in Palmyra, Mo.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Paris, Missouri or the donor's choice.

Online Condolences:  www.lewisbrothersfuneralchapel.com