Norma DeBiasio Gulick Huizenga Toman

Norma Toman, born on April 1, 1937, peacefully passed away on November 5, 2025. A passionate educator and devoted community member, Norma dedicated much of her life to inspiring young minds as a High School French and Italian Language Teacher for Chicago Public Schools, serving at Fenger High School and Kenwood Academy. Her commitment to education was recognized through the prestigious Kohl Foundation Teacher's Award, an accolade that reflected her exceptional ability to ignite a love for learning in her students. After retirement, she continued teaching Italian to adult learners in her Florida community as well as English as a second language to prison inmates in the FL State system. Beyond her teaching career, Norma was all about her love for and staying connected to her direct and extended family and friends both here in the States and back in Northern Italy where her mother and father were born. In fact, in May 2024, 60+ American and Italian relatives traveled to Falcade, Italy in the Dolomites mountains to celebrate this beautiful woman.

Norma is survived by her daughter Catherine Renar (Dave) of Watseka, IL; her son, Steve Gulick (Lise) of Mt. Pleasant, SC; her stepson, Jon Toman (Mike); her stepdaughter, Michele Zuchnik (Steve); and stepson, Mark Musial (Belinda). The legacy of love she has built continues through the three grandchildren she simply adored: Elizabeth Henderson (Casey), Anna Gulick, and Jayson Gulick, as well as her three beautiful great-grandchildren, Royce Henderson, Calum Henderson, and Rhett Henderson. She also had numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews she held very dear to her heart!

She was preceded in death by her oldest son, James Gulick, her sisters, Adeline Hebel and Lorraine Sullivan, her parents, Sisto DeBiasio and Maria Tomaselli DeBiasio, her husbands, Thomas Jay Huizenga and Jerome Toman and her stepdaughter Janine Toman.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, December 5, 2025 in St. Benedict Catholic Church, 950 Darrell Creek Trail, Mt. Pleasant at 11:00 am. The family will receive friends Thursday, December 4, 2025 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel, 1494 Mathis Ferry Rd. from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Lung Association in Norma’s name.

Arrangements are by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel. A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.