Norma Charles Cripps, retired owner of M.F. Charles and Sons of Reading, passed away at the Monarch Assisted Living Facility in Woburn at the age of 92. Norma was born in Reading the daughter of Norman and Esther Charles and the granddaughter of Millard F. Charles, who in 1893 along with his Freemasons commissioned the construction of the three story M.F. Charles Building which became a landmark for Reading Square.

Upon graduation from Radcliffe in 1944 she became the administrator of the Charles Estate. This included the Charles retail business, Charles news Agency, majority shareholder of the Charles Commercial Properties, the historic two story black building at the Reading train depot, a riding academy in Andover, and several residential properties in Reading and a family homestead in Lovell, Maine of 137 acres of active logging.

In 1955 she married and her husband became the General Manager. In the year 2005 and at the age of 82 they dissolved the retail business and sold the commercial property to the Northern Bank and Trust of Woburn.

In the intervening years despite their business activities she did extensive traveling most notable being on a class reunion in 1982 in Egypt when their President Sadat was assassinated.
She was a member of many organizations among them being the Harvard Club, she being among the first female members. The Harvard Faculty Club, the Radcliffe Alumni Association, the St. Petersburg Florida Yacht Club , the Eastern Star, the Reading Public Library, and the Congregational Church.

Norma is survived by her husband Donald, predeceased by her sister Edith. All services are private. Arrangements under the direction of the Douglass, Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home, Reading www.johnbdouglassfuneralhome.com