Mar 27, 2023 - News

A Cleveland woman worth celebrating: Norma Herr

Sam Allard

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Front of the Norma Herr Women's Center, a sandstone Art Deco building in Cleveland — The Norman Herr Women's Center on Payne, one of the most unique buildings in town. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios

Last week, I highlighted a handful of monuments to remarkable women in Cleveland's history.

Folks sent me emails all week suggesting other women I should feature, including Jane Scott!

One woman's story really stayed with me.

Who she was: Norma Herr (Unknown-2007)

The details: Herr was a longtime resident of the women's shelter on Payne Avenue that would later bear her name.

What they're saying: "Norma made such an impact on the other residents of the center that, when she was moved into hospice care due to advanced cancer, carloads of women from the shelter visited her every day," writes YWCA, which has run the shelter since 2018.

"The moniker stands as a fitting reminder that every woman experiencing homelessness has a unique story and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect."

💭 My thought bubble: The eponymous shelter didn't quite fit into my "monuments" framework last week, but I wanted to celebrate Herr nevertheless.

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A Cleveland woman worth celebrating: Norma Herr

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