Norma Meadows

YOUNGSTOWN - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday at noon at St. Joseph Church for Norma Lee Meadows, 89, who passed away Friday evening at Hospice House, surrounded by her loving family.

Norma was born April 6, 1928, in Lowellville, a daughter of the late Ralph and Pauline (Polito) Tropea.

Norma was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and attended the Dana School of Music. She retired after 30 years as a Public Relations Director of Simco Management Corporation.

Since her retirement and open heart surgery, she had become an advocate for the American Heart Association and Mended Hearts Chapter 7, a heart support group of heart survivors and their families. She served as president of Mended Hearts in 2004 to 2006, where she led Chapter 7 to receive the "Presidents Cup," chosen out of 276 chapters in 2005. She served as president once again in 2013 until Mended Hearts chapter disbanded later that year. She was also an Accredited Visitor to heart patients at St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

She was invited to Washington, D.C. for four years to participate at Congressional Lobby Day, lobbying for more funds for research and education for heart disease and stroke for the American Heart Association.

She was a member of the Ohio Cultural Alliance, Butler Institute of American Art , Friends of Fellow Riverside Gardens, and St. Elizabeth's Auxiliary. Her passion since her heart surgery was to offer emotional support to heart survivors after open heart surgery. As a public speaker she has spoken to many local organizations on this subject.

Her life was dedicated to her wonderful family and will be remembered for her undying love for them and all the wonderful times they had together. Their love sustained her during her lifetime. She also loved her music, dancing, travel and spending time in the kitchen baking. Her years of volunteering fulfilled her life after her retirement. She touched many lives by visiting hospital heart patients and the education she provided in her speaking engagements regarding heart disease.

She is survived by her loving family, daughters, Dawnelle Ann (Mark) Bradford of Columbus and Dana Lee (Andrew) Giambroni of Pittsburgh; a son, Ralph D. Spotleson, Sr. of Austintown; grandchildren, Aja (Ted) Blanco, Matthew (partner, Erika Diehl) DeSalvo, Andrew (Mandie) Giambroni, Anthony (Caitlin) Giambroni, Ralph D. (Tiffany) Spotleson Jr., Timothy Spotleson, Gary DeSalvo and Brian Edwards; great-grandsons, Ralph D. Spotleson III, Ryan Spotleson, Cash Blanco, and Silvio Santino Giambroni; great-granddaughters, June Lee Blanco and Rileigh Spotleson; nieces, Nicole Flores, Natalie Neshite and Kimberlee Kelly; four great-nieces; a great-nephew; and many friends and relatives.

Deceased family members also include, sister, Denise June Neshite; great-grandson, Anthony Santino Giambroni; and grandparents, Josephine and Vincenzo Polito.

Family and friends may call Wednesday from 10 to 11:45 a.m. at St. Joseph Church.

In lieu of flowers, material tributes may take the form of donations to the American Heart Association, 840 Southwestern Run, Youngstown, OH 44514.

Arrangements are being handled by the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel.