Sr. Norma Jean Hynes OSF's Obituary
Sister Norma Jean Hynes, age 93 of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, Indiana, died on July 25, 2026, at the Motherhouse in Oldenburg, Indiana. Born on December 22, 1932, in Indianapolis, Indiana, she was the third of six children born to John and Mary (nee: Bishop) Hynes. Her father was a general laborer, and her mother was a housewife.
Sister Norma Jean attended St Francis de Sales Grade School and then St. Mary High School, both in Indianapolis. On February 2, 1954, she began her journey of becoming a Sister of the Sisters of St. Francis. She graduated from Marian College in 1962.
Sister Norma Jean spent 25 years of teaching primary grades in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois, helping children know Jesus. She especially loved preparing children for their First Communion. Her next mission was working in St. Francis with the nursing staff at the Motherhouse. Although she missed the children she taught, she soon found she had the same love for the Sisters and enjoyed that role for 13 years.
Sister Norma Jean returned to the Motherhouse in 1995 and gave her time in the sewing room and Heritage Room. She spent her final years enjoying her Sisters in community, cooking, walking, and working jigsaw puzzles. She especially enjoyed being outdoors near water.
Sister Norma Jean is survived by her sisters Teresa Lenahan and Cathy (Doug) Jeffries, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters Margaret Hynes and Pearl (Wendell) Hunter, brother John Dennis Hynes, and brother-in-law David Lenahan.
Prayer and visitation will be Friday, July 31, at 10:00 a.m. followed by the Mass at 11:00 a.m., all at the convent chapel. The burial will be at the Motherhouse Cemetery in Oldenburg.
For those unable to attend, services will be live streamed at https://youtube.com/live/KsSzifNFHCc?feature=share Memorials may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, Indiana 47036 (https://www.OldenburgFranciscans.org).
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