Family, nonprofits remember philanthropist Jane Norton as 'down to earth, softspoken, gentle'

LORAIN — Lifelong Lorain resident and philanthropist Jane Norton, 82, died April 6. She was a well-known Lorainite — the daughter of C. Paul and Beth Stocker — she served as the first executive director of the Stocker Foundation, on countless boards and supported numerous capital campaigns. But her family will remember her for the birthday cake she must have baked thousands of times; the handwritten letters and cards they received for every special occasion, and the "mystery trips" she and her husband took their grandchildren on. Her sons, Brad Norton, of Westlake; Ben Norton, of Avon; and Brent Norton, of Seattle, said Jane attended every soccer match and band concert when they were growing up, and the involvement continued as her grandchildren grew older. She was a den mother of their Cub Scout troop, a classroom volunteer, and always willing to lend a hand. She was active in Girl Scouts — despite having three sons — spending summers as a camp counselor for many years and serving on the board of Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio. She, alongside her husband, Ben, co-chaired the Western Division's capital campaign to renovate Camp Timberlane in Wakeman. For every birthday she baked what was affectionately called a Black Forest cake — though they all agreed it was like no Black Forest cake they'd ever seen. The chocolate layer cake, filled with toasted almonds and Cool Whip was a staple — paired with at least one or two trick candles that resulted in a lot of burnt fingers over the years. The "mystery trips" with the grandkids included Niagara Falls, Amish country, the Ford Museum near Detroit, or petting zoos for the younger children. "They prioritized family," Brad Norton said of his parents, "but they always prioritized everything else they were involved with (too)." It's something Jane came by honestly, the brothers agreed — her own mother, Beth Stocker, was known to bake cookies for church luncheons well into her 90s. Jane and Ben Norton were staples at the Lorain Historical Society's ice cream socials, often found with an ice cream scoop in hand. Lorain Historical Society Executive Director Barb Piscopo said Jane was always the detail behind her husband Ben, with the pair's skills complementing each other perfectly. Jane was on the Historical Society's Board of Trustees and at every meeting and event she was always the first to ask how she could help or offer to clean up afterward, Piscopo said. "They were very wealthy, very generous, but it wasn't just about the money," she said, noting Jane was always very down-to-earth, softspoken and gentle. "When I talk to people about her passing, that's the thing that keeps coming up," Piscopo said. But her softspoken nature wasn't to be confused with a "rubber stamp" for projects. Jane was someone who spoke her mind, Piscopo said, and was always interested in what the Historical Society was doing and whether it was living up to its mission. In a statement shared on the Historical Society's social media, Piscopo said that to say Jane will be missed is an understatement. "But of this we are certain: Jane's life and memory will live on as we remember her in the echo of her words around board tables, pass by her home, attend a fundraising gala, or see the beauty of a lush garden of flowers in the spring and summer," she said. Stocker Foundation Executive Director Patricia O'Brien was the first non-familial staff member hired at the foundation in 1998, and later followed in Jane's footsteps to lead the organization. Working closely with Jane leading up to and after her retirement, O'Brien said she always marveled at the way Jane understood and researched the grant requests they received. She was like that up until the end, O'Brien said. She'd spoken with Jane about a week ago, just before she was in the hospital, about grant proposals. While O'Brien knew Jane didn't feel well, there was no question whether she'd take time for that last meeting. Jane Norton's father, C. Paul Stocker, co-founded Lorain Products Corp. in 1936. Jane's mother established The Stocker Foundation after Paul's death to formalize the philanthropy the family practiced. O'Brien noted Jane Norton was always interested in impact grants — funding projects to best implement systemic change. The Foundation's work around childhood literacy was one of those passions, she said, as well as early childhood classrooms at Lorain's Larkmoor Elementary. "She enjoyed site visits because they give a firsthand look at how Stocker Foundation dollars were at work," she said. "Jane also held the men and women working at nonprofit organizations in high regard for tirelessly working for the betterment of children and families." She said Jane was especially excited to see her older grandchildren get involved with the family foundation and worked to help mentor them along the way. "She will be dearly missed by all of us at The Stocker Foundation," O'Brien said. Jane worked as a dietitian at Elyria Memorial Hospital and was an instructor at Lorain County Adult Education and then Lorain County Community College. She and her husband are the college's culinary arts building's namesakes — something they didn't expect when they provided the lead gift for the college's capital campaign, her sons said. At the time of her death, Jane served on the boards of the LCCC Foundation, Lorain Historical Society, The Stocker Foundation and The Norton Family Foundation. She was a 1958 graduate of Lorain High School and married her high school sweetheart, Ben, in 1964. June would have marked the pair's 59th wedding anniversary, her sons said. She and her husband attended church every Sunday, initially First Congregational Church on Washington Avenue before its merger with Amherst Congregational UCC. As Ben and Jane Norton aged, they checked all seven continents off their travel list, and either visited or drove through all 50 states, her sons said. The pair spent winters in Mexico — finding or building a community no matter where they went, the three agreed. Those who knew Jane all agreed: The world lost a good one. Contributions in Jane's memory can be made to the Lorain Historical Society, 329 W. 20th St., Lorain, or the LCCC Foundation, 1005 N. Abbe Road CC220, Elyria. A celebration of life is planned for 10 a.m. April 29 at Lorain County Community College's Stocker Center. Attendees are asked to wear Jane's favorite color, turquoise, or bright blue. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.