Norma Chase of Vineyard Haven died peacefully at the home of her son, Peter, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on June 15, following a long illness. She was 86.

Norma Loveland Chase was born on Sept. 22, 1924, in Chicopee Falls to parents Mildred and Raymond Loveland. Norma and her identical twin, Shirley, attended school in Chicopee Falls and enjoyed summer vacations at Lake Wickaboag in West Brookfield.

Norma graduated from high school in Chicopee Falls and studied at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1945. While attending Ohio Wesleyan, Norma met John Newland Chase, fell in love, and they were married in New York in March 1944, a few short weeks before John left on the USS Brooklyn to serve in World War II. Following the war, during the early years of their marriage, Norma came with John for the first time to Martha’s Vineyard.

Norma fell in love with the Vineyard and spent all of her summers in the house that she and John bought in Vineyard Haven in 1956. She loved the beaches, the shops on Main street, and the many friends she made. In 1970 she became the director of the town of Tisbury tennis courts, and held that position for 33 summers. During those years, she maintained the clay courts in tip-top shape, arranged court reservations for visitors, and provided tennis classes for many Island and off-Island children. Norma’s passion for tennis, care for the courts, friendliness and welcoming spirit created a vibrant tennis community in Vineyard Haven and visitors, many of whom became lifelong friends, came back summer after summer to see Norma and to play on “her” courts. When she retired, the courts were renamed the Norma Chase Tennis Courts in her honor.

In 1977, following John’s death, Norma moved to Vineyard Haven permanently.

Norma and John raised two sons, Geoffrey and Peter. Norma loved knitting, painting, braiding rugs, collecting antiques, scrabble, crossword puzzles, traveling and animals. She welcomed friends and family, and her five grandchildren, all of whom during their college years came to live with her in her house on Cromwell Lane. She loved showing her recent collections of antiques, talking late into the night and sharing stories about John and her family. She also traveled widely in Europe while married, and lived for a year in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. After 1977, she continued to travel widely to visit her sons and their families in Germany, Australia, New York, Arizona, California, Florida, and Finland.

She is survived by her two loving sons, Geoffrey and Peter; a sister, Gin Beaulieu; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Shirley, her twin, and another sister, Bernice, preceded her in death.

A memorial service will be held in Vineyard Haven to honor and celebrate her life on Saturday, Sept. 17. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Norma’s name to Hospice Care of Southeast Florida, 309 SE 18th street, Fort Lauderdale, FL  33316.