Norma (McGee) Ashton | ||
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| Norma Geneva Ashton, one of two children of Arvel Rowe and Bertha (Nash) Rowe, was born near Bloomer, Wisconsin on August 30, 1917. After the death of Norma’s father, the family moved to Greenwood, South Dakota where her mother married Benjamin John St. Pierre. Norma attended school in Greenwood.
Norma married Oscar Palmer and they established their first home on a local farm near Greenwood. Their marriage was blessed with a daughter, Thelma and a son, Oscar, Jr. As a result of a head injury, her husband Oscar developed a brain tumor and later died. In 1940, Norma married Oscar’s cousin Earl McGee and Norma and her children joined Earl in Henderson, Iowa. Norma enjoyed the duties of a farm wife and their marriage was blessed with four daughters, Norma Jean, Nora Jane, Janet, and Martha. Norma enjoyed life in the Henderson community where she joined the Henderson Christian Church and enjoyed quilting with her friends. She was a faithful church volunteer helping prepare and serve many church dinners. She served the youth of the community as a 4-H leader and part-time cook at the Henderson Community School. She and Earl enjoyed traveling and time spent with their children and grandchildren. Norma and Earl later divorced and Norma continued to live on their family farm. Norma and Don Ashton of Larchwood, Iowa were married in 1985 and made their home in Larchwood where Norma joined the English Lutheran Church. She and Don enjoyed bingo and other Larchwood community activities and events. Don died in 1999 and Norma continued to live in Larchwood until moving to Red Oak, Iowa in 2002. In November of 2004, Norma moved to the Red Oak Good Samaritan Center where she was able to enjoy activities as her health would permit. Norma died at Good Samaritan on April 1, 2005 at the age of 87 years, 7 months, and 1 day. She was preceded in death by her husbands Oscar Palmer and Don Ashton; son Oscar Palmer, Jr.; daughter Nora Jane Regan; brother Orville Rowe and half-brother Louis St. Pierre; and half-sisters Adelia Clark and Vivian Efta. Norma is survived by her daughters Thelma Kent and her husband Orville of Clarinda, IA, Norma Jean Hackett and her husband Richard of Omaha, NE, Janet Hainline and her husband Bob of Henderson, IA, Martha Mundorf and her husband Ron of Griswold, IA; half-sisters Nellie O’Connor of Sioux Falls, S.D, Azelda Henderson of Hampton, NE, Velma Pettit of St. Paul, MN, and Lillian Koehn of Denver, CO; 13 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren, and six great great grandchildren. | ||