Norma Louise Hansen

Norma Louise McVay Hansen
Norma was born to Loris and Alice McVay August 6, 1933, in Bend, Ore. She passed peacefully of natural causes in her sleep on May 17, 2012, in Roseburg, Ore. Norma grew up primarily in the Jackson County area and attended Medford schools. She married Dwight Neil Glenn on January 2, 1949, and had three daughters: Carol, Diane and Shirley. She and Neil divorced in 1967. Norma worked for many years as a telephone operator for Pacific Northwest Bell in Medford. Or, as she liked to call herself, "A call girl for Ma Bell." While working at the phone company, Norma held a second job as a waitress at The Elks Lodge in Medford, where she met the love of her life, Howard Hansen. They were married on March 14, 1968. Norma and Howard relocated to Lemolo Lake in Douglas County, where he worked for Pacific Power. She was a resident of the North Umpqua area for many years, with moves to the Clearwater and Toketee sites. Norma and Howard were deeply involved with the Pacific Power and Forest Service communities in the Toketee/Diamond Lake area, where Norma flourished in her role as The Avon Lady. They were known for their outgoing and generous natures, as well as their fantastic costumes at the many parties held during their years "up river." The couple moved to Roseburg in 1984 following Howard's retirement from the power company. He passed away in April 1993, just a month after they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in typical Hansen party style, surrounded by those who loved them. Norma retired after many years as the telephone operator at Harvard Lab and X-ray. She cared for her mother, Alice, until her passing in 2004. In 1993, Norma was diagnosed with breast cancer through early detection, and was proud to be a survivor. She became involved with the Community Cancer Center in Roseburg, where she served as a Board Member until 2011 and coordinated the Center's county fair booth for many years. She continued as a volunteer for the Center until her death. Norma was preceded in death by her husband Howard; her parents; her sister Anita; her grandson Jesse Beukema; and her son-in-law, Rick Hines. She is survived by her daughters, Carol Hines, Diane (Russ) Beukema, and Shirley (Bill) Brink; her step-sons Jary (Sandy) Hansen and Mant Hansen, and step-daughter Theresa Weber; her sisters Georgia (Jim) Pemberton and Carol Hymer; and her brother Hubert (Judy) Paisley. Norma is survived by her 10 grand-children: Odessa (Mark) Conger; Govi (Tiffany) Hines; Donovan Brink; Melissa Brink Dickey; Jared (Sara) Hines; Charissa (TJ) Toney; Staci (Rueben) West; Obie Hansen; Austin Hansen; Chelsea Hansen; 9 great-grandchildren: Emma Conger; Meagan and Zachary Dickey; Taylor, Emma, Grace and Mac Toney; and Madelynn and Haley West. Norma also had a 10th great-grandchild on the way. She is also survived by nephews Terry and Jerald Stricklin, Joseph Paisley and Jim and Bill Pemberton and niece Kathy Smith. A celebration of Norma's life will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at Wilson's Chapel of the Roses in Roseburg. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society in honor of Norma's defeat of breast cancer.