First of all, of course, was moving them in. She hired vans to get them in and out of dormitories. But everyone pitched in so it wasn't so bad.

And the fact that her daughter, Jennifer, was attending George Washington University in Washington and son, Etzel, was at Carnegie Mellon Univeristy in Pittsburgh made for some serious long-distance traveling.

But the whole family enjoyed attending every event the young ones participated in at school, and there were no complaints about the mileage required.

Norma Brower, an insurance- claims adjuster who was devoted to her church and family, died June 21 of complications of lupus.

She was 54 and lived in Hatboro but had been born and raised in Philadelphia.

"Norma was diagnosed with lupus in 1988, but never ceased escorting her children around in spite of her physical challenges," her family said.

"She enjoyed working with young children and involved Jennifer and Etzel in Sunday school, church picnics and Halloween activities."

She attended every hockey game, was a den mother, was involved in every school concert and even took Jennifer for Farsi lessons, the result of her friendship with an Iranian whom she was teaching English.

"Norma collected friends wherever she went and enjoyed participating in the arts. She joined Bright Hope Celestial Choir and participated as long as she could. She made hosts of friends in the choir and enjoyed sharing her voice in praise."

Her favorite hymn was "Only What You Do for Christ Will Last."

She took her mother, Beulah T. Wilson, to New York to catch Broadway shows. Such visits were often birthday treats.

"At one point, they had attended most of the major shows on Broadway," her family said.

"Norma knew every fancy restaurant in New York as well as Philadelphia and often surprised her mother with special trips to them," her family said.

Norma worked at Prudential and later Liberty Mutual insurance companies for 21 years. With her ebullient and friendly personality, she charmed many of her fellow workers who remained fast friends.

Norma was born in Philadelphia to Beulah T. and Lyttington D. Wilson. She attended Leeds Junior High and graduated cum laude from Girls High in 1972.

She often spoke of her idyllic childhood in which the family enjoyed many years of family gatherings, holidays, birthdays, theater and summer camping trips.

"Church picnics and cookie-making were highlights of their lives," her family said.

Norma studied pre-law at Penn State. She graduated in 1975 after three years of accelerated study.

In her first semester at Penn State, she met Etzel Coffee Brower Sr., and they were married after her graduation.

They moved to Swedesboro, N.J., where their children were born. When the kids were small, they moved to East Mount Airy and later to Abington, where backyard cookouts and holiday gatherings of family and friends were the order of the day. She later moved to Hatboro.

Norma attended Summit Presbyterian Church, in East Mount Airy, as a child and later taught church school. After moving to Abington, she joined Salem Baptist Church there.

Besides her children and parents, she is survived by a brother, Dennis T. Wilson; one grandson, Ethan, and her former husband, Etzel C. Brower Sr.

Services: A memorial service was held yesterday at Bright Hope Baptist church, 12th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. *