June Ann Norbury

June Ann Norbury, 89, of Oxford, Maryland, passed away peacefully at home on February 19, 2026. Ann was born on July 8, 1936, in Cobham, Surrey, England, to the late Ronald Bertram Stevens and Kathleen Ivy Stevens (née Parker). Her early childhood was shaped by the outbreak of World War II. On September 3, 1939, the day Britain declared war, her father volunteered for military service in what he described as patriotic enthusiasm to “get in, get it over with, and get out.” In reality, it was Ann and her mother who had to “get out” before the end of that year because their pre-war housing was tied to his employment. From the upstairs windows of their home in Cobham, young Ann witnessed aerial dogfights and once saw two bombers jettison their loads while being chased. Much of her schooling during those years took place not in classrooms, but in air-raid shelters. With only two candles—one at each end—lessons became verbal exercises; times tables, spelling bees, “I Spy,” “Ten Green Bottles,” quizzes, and games of Chinese Whispers. Nearly 100 children, two teachers, and Miss Cross, the headmistress, would shelter together between the siren and the all-clear. Between the summers of 1947 and 1949, Ann endured rheumatic fever, appendicitis, and scarlet fever. In one year alone, she lived at 28 different addresses. She proudly won a scholarship to a high school but was disappointed when she was told she would be unable to accept it, and instead had to attend the local grammar school. In March 1984, Ann began working at Poole Museum while completing the first year of her degree studies. It was then she knew she wanted to become a history professional. She went on to earn her B.A. (Hons) and later qualified as an archivist at University College London. She spent many happy years as a Local Studies Officer and later as an Archivist for the Borough of Ealing. In the mid-1980s, she began researching her own family roots and those of her husband and children. This passion often required rising at dawn to travel to distant record offices and research libraries. After moving to Maryland, she continued sharing her love of archives and genealogy by volunteering in the Maryland Room at the Talbot County Free Library, where her knowledge and dedication were greatly valued. Ann’s lifelong love of reading began in childhood. Her mother’s younger sister shared a treasured collection of jigsaw puzzles, sparking an enthusiasm that lasted her entire life. A discovery of bound volumes of The Strand Magazine introduced her to Sherlock Holmes and sealed her devotion to books. Crosswords in the daily newspaper, a wide range of music and stories on the radio, and exposure to curious and esoteric topics were gifts that endured. She remained, by her own description, a “bookworm” to the end. Her proudest accomplishments were her family. Ann is survived by her sons, Tony Smith and Graham Norbury (Trudy), and her beloved grandchildren, Brogan, Ryanne, Morgan, and Robert. In her own words: “I am very, very proud of you and the men you’ve become, Tony & Graham.” Memorial contributions may be made in Ann’s honor to the Talbot County Free Library’s Maryland Room

June Ann Norbury

July 8, 1936 - February 19, 2026