Dr. Norma Jean Van Zee, 97 of Huntsville, passed away January 13, 2026. The only child of Robert N. and Media “Devar Amick, Norma was born on June 29, 1928, in Marion, Kansas. After graduating high school in 1946, she went to Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, where she graduated with an associate of arts degree.
Her passions were for horses and riding. From a very early age, she rode anything that was available. She showed a Palomino stallion in horse shows all over the state of Iowa. This was how she met James Van Zee, whom she later married. At the end of her second year of college, Jim and Norma were married but postponed their honeymoon to Colorado until after she had graduated. They made their home in Des Moines, Iowa, for the next 24 years. Their daughter, Deborah, was born on July 28, 1950.
After her daughter reached school age, Norma went to Drake University and got her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education so she could teach in the public schools. Her first teaching position in 1961 was with the Des Moines Public Schools as the television music teacher for grades one through three. These lessons were received in the city and county schools by about 6,000 children weekly via school owned and controlled television and FM radio facilities in their technical high school whose students produced these lessons. Norma also visited all the first-grade classes in Des Moines and used many props to keep the children’s interest and to complement the music being used. Included were baby chicks, her dog, a rabbit, and her Shetland pony which made it up to the studio on the elevator.
During four years with the Iowa Department of Public Instruction, Norma, as the state music consultant, helped develop a set of music teacher competencies for the teacher training institutions in Iowa. Norma planned a state-wide humanities conference to stimulate this type of course. Fifty-eight schools were represented by teachers of English, Music, Art and History.
At the conclusion of the special music program, Norma was invited by the head of Music Education at the University of Iowa to teach music education courses and supervise student teachers while pursuing her doctorate degree, which she completed in 1972. Following her course work she was invited to interview for the position of Elementary Music Specialist at Central Missouri State University in Warresburg, Missouri. She taught there for 19 years.
In an effort to involve the University into the life of the community, Norma started and administered the Prep Program. This brought children in the community to the Music Department for private lessons with faculty members. She also instigated and taught a weekly music class for four- and five-year-olds in the area – – “just for the fun of it.”
Norma served as the faculty sponsor for 19 years for the college chapter, Epsilon Omega, of the women’s international music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI). One year under her leadership, the chapter was selected as the number one chapter in the nation in carrying out the purposes of SAI.
Norma retired from teaching in 1991 and moved with her husband to their condo at the Lake of the Ozarks. Here, she enjoyed boating, water skiing and becoming involved with the Lake Arts Council where she served as Program Director and Vice-President.
After spending several winters in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Jim and Norma moved to Foley, Alabama in 1997 to be closer to the gulf beaches and their daughter, Deborah, who lived in Huntsville, Alabama, with her husband, Sufian, and son, Jameel.
As Jim’s health began to fail, the Van Zees moved to Huntsville in order to make it easier for them to take care of each other. After being bed-ridden for nine months, Jim passed away on May 23, 2005.
She was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, Active Advantage, Community Chorus and various musical and social groups of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
Norma always enjoyed traveling and was able to take a number of trips throughout the United States and abroad. She visited Italy, Europe, China, Alaska, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Greek Islands, Scandinavian capitols and St. Petersburg in Russia, together with visits to Mediterranean ports. Next came the cruse to Central American countries of Belize, Guatemala, (in which she flew into the jungles to visit the Mayan ruins in Tikal), and Costa Maya.
For many years, Norma had privately nurtured a yearning of exploring and enjoying the splendors of Egypt. As a special treat to herself and with an exceptional tour arrangement, she was able to visit the Ancient Civilizations of Egypt. She visited and saw all the great pyramids, museums, ancient artifacts and other historical highlights of Egypt about which she had studied.
Later travels included Australia, New Zealand, a South African safari, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
A Celebration of Life for Norma will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 12901 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville, 35803.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Aldersgate United Methodist Church (https://www.aldersgatehsv.com/giving).
