Helping to promote and support her community came later in life for Morgan, who stepped up to the plate after she and her husband moved in to town when they retired.

Morgan grew up in the country, attending country school through sixth grade before coming to Farnhamville to finish her schooling.

She then attended AIB and married her husband, Frank, who was serving in the U.S. Navy. They lived in California for a year before making their way back to the Farnhamville area in Calhoun County.

They built a life on their farm. Frank kept busy farming and operating a woodworking business, and Norma was occupied being a mother.

-Messenger photo by Kriss Nelson
Norma Morgan tends to her flowers at her home in Farnhamville. Morgan is known for being a strong supporter of her hometown.

“I was raising a family — my main focus was that,” she said.

Her other passion was her church — Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Farnhamville. Through the years, Morgan has been heavily involved in her church, from sewing groups, helping with the (now discontinued) community meals, serving meals for the church, where she earned the title as “chief coffee maker” and more.

“My church is here. I have always been active in that,” she said. “I help with anything I can.”

When the couple retired, they built a new home in Farnhamville and that’s when their focus turned to helping their community and beyond.

Morgan said she has been active in the community’s Betterment Club, the Calhoun County Cancer board where she helped get its Relay for Life cancer walk started; the Calhoun County Foundation Board; helped to coordinate blood drives and has also been involved with the Heart Association.

-Messenger photo by Kriss Nelson
Norma Morgan and her husband Frank Morgan relax on the bench at Memorial Park in Farnhamville.

As for her focus on the city of Farnhamville, Morgan said she and the rest of the Betterment Club put a lot of effort in trying to keep a grocery store in town.

“When the grocery store closed, we worked hard to get money to buy the building,” she said. “We had nothing in town. We were hoping to coordinate a small grocery business, but that didn’t work out.”

Eventually, other businesses opened up in the building and now, Morgan said she is pleased to have a thriving restaurant like the Lucky Pig helping to bring people to Farnhamville.

Old Settlers Day is a long-standing tradition for the city of Farnhamville and the Morgans continue to help out where they can with that.

Morgan is also proud to help with the Betterment Club’s “yard of the month” during the summer.

“We like to promote people to keep their yards up,” she said.

She is also happy with the club’s decision to purchase a sign welcoming those to Farnhamville on the south side and are hoping to soon add one to the north end of town.

The couple has also helped develop Memorial Park in Farnhamville.

“The city demolished a house, so we promoted to having it be a Memorial Park,” she said. “We have planted bushes and trees that all have been given in memory of someone.”

Rita Kail, mayor of Farnhamville, said she can always rely on Morgan for help.

“She is a true community supporter. She is always willing to help on any community project or committee,” said Kail.

Morgan said she would like to see new people move to Farnhamville.

“It’s quiet,” she said. “We feel like it’s kept up good. It’s close to Gowrie — you only need to go six miles for groceries and the location is great for people to drive to work easily.”

Although not coming to town until later in life, Morgan says, “Farnhamville has been my home,” and she cherishes the roots that her family has grown in the area.

“My grandparents, my parents, they grew up here.”