Norma Jean Cooper Bracken, 83, of Refugio, Texas, formerly of Effingham, passed away at 9:05 a.m., Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at her son's home in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, April 30, 2011 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Effingham with burial in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Shumway. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 29, 2011 at the Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham and from 1:00 p.m until service time at the church. Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.

Norma was born October 28, 1927 in Shumway, the daughter of John R. and Minnie H. (Koester) Gaddis. She married Earl B. Cooper on February 14, 1948 and he preceded her in death in 2001. Norma later married Floyd Bracken and he preceded her in death in February 2011. She was a member and former secretary of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Refugio, Texas and the Beta Sigma Phi sorority.

She is survived by three sons, Michael (Ruth Ann) Cooper of Mt. Carmel, Gary (Cindy) Cooper of Windsor, John Cooper of Flora; one daughter, Alice (Robert) Veatch of Benton, KY; one sister, Audrey Bahrns Garbe of Effingham; 14 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Norma is preceded in death by her parents; a brother, John and an infant brother, Walter.