OBITUARY: Norma Jean Davidson, 78, of Viera, Passed Peacefully at Home With Family at Her Side June 14

Norma never met a stranger and was famous for her hospitality, won battles with colon cancer and liver disease

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Norma Jean Davidson, 78, of Viera, passed peacefully at home with her fiancee and daughter at her side, on June 14, 2023, following an 18 month battle with kidney disease.

Born Norma Jean Louden on October 13, 1944, in Kenton, Kentucky, she was ever independent, a hard worker, and an incurable optimist. She raised a family and spent 29 years working as a Certified Nursing Assistant for Alzheimer’s patients.

During that time, she also won battles with colon cancer and liver disease that required a transplant. Nothing much slowed her down.

With her fiancee/partner of 12 years, Benny Duke, who she often declared to be the love of her life, she enjoyed travel, gardening, music, and painting.

Her family was everything to Norma. She avidly cheered their successes and buoyed them with love and support in trying times, never wavering in her faith in their resilience. She invested similar warmth in her friends, delighting in their good times and ready to help in any challenging moments.

Norma never met a stranger and was famous for her hospitality, serving up hearty meals at a moment’s notice for casual visitors, friends and family. Her spaghetti and meatballs were epic. She delighted in starting her day with a peaceful morning hour or two spent observing nature on her porch overlooking the lakefront.

Norma is survived by her fiancee Benny Duke of Viera; brother Emmett Walthers of Covington, KY; son, Michael (Marsha) Moore, also of Covington; daughters Yolanda (Eddie) Ruble of Gloucester, OH, and Regina DiMattei (partner Kevin) of Baltimore, MD; grandchildren (to whom she was Mom-Mom) Nicole (Josh) Erdmann of Cincinnati, OH, Britney Perrera of Gloucester, OH, Cash (Alyssa) Phelps of Melbourne, FL; Tom DiMattei of Dundalk, MD; Vanessa (partner Sam) DiMattei of Baltimore, MD; and great-grandchildren Davin Perrera; Grace, Ryan and Aden Phelps; Ryan DeMattei, Kingsley Kertz, and Jordynn Erdmann.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Katherine Louden, husband Hank Davidson, and granddaughter Ammanda DiMattei.

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