Norma Jean Matheny

Norma Jean Matheny, age 78, passed away at her home in Oakland, Oregon January 6th, 2020 with her husband by her side after a long battle with dementia. Norma was born September  22nd, 1942 in Lonestar, Missouri to Reverend Thelbert and Ollie Dempsey. She was the fifth of seven children. As a young girl, Norma and her family moved to Southern California, where most of her siblings would settle.
While living in California she met and married Cecil Holley. The couple moved to Sutherlin,  Oregon where she would eventually become the mother of four children, including fraternal twins. After their separation in the early ’70s, she would move to Lemoore, California where she would meet Naval Chief Petty Officer John Matheny; the man she would be married to for  44 years and would not just be the ‘stepfather’ to her children, but their father. John was eventually stationed in Norfolk, Virginia where they would live for 14 years. In 2004, they moved to Sutherlin, Oregon in order to be closer to family.
Norma is preceded in death by her parents; brothers Jack and Reverend Larry Dempsey; sisters Joyce Hicks, Goldie, and Dorothy Dempsey; and her daughter-in-law she considered her daughter, Deborah Korman.
Norma is survived by her husband John Matheny; brother Curtis Dempsey; sons Brent and  Curtis Holley; daughters Gayla Holley, Kimberly (Jerry) Risk and daughter-in-law Carmen Aguilar;  grandsons Gabriel (Larissa) Holley, Brent (Kayla) Holley II, Samuel Holley, Jerry (Miranda) Risk;  granddaughters Cynthia (Harrison) Ludington, Amanda (Ross) Day, Jesilyn (Jason) Troxel, Cecilia  (Andy) Null and Jensine Holley; great-grandchildren Harrison, Landon, Summer, Brycen, Lilith,  Jameson and Delilah; close nieces and nephews Jennifer Davis, Christopher Hicks and Jason  (Tara) Hicks; best friends Bonnie Waldier and Patricia McPherson.
Norma was a red-haired stubborn spitfire woman who had the biggest and kindest heart,  especially for her family and animals. For over ten years, Norma worked at Todd’s Lane Animal  Hospital in Hampton, VA where she was a kennel manager and loved her job. When she wasn’t at work taking care of animals, she was taking care of them at home. She had a unique collection of rescues and pets at home including a blue jay named Pretty Bird she taught to speak, rats, squirrels, opossums, dogs, cats, and any injured or stray animal a neighbor would come across. Her love of animals was definitely passed down to her grandchildren and they often call each other ‘Nonie Jr’ whenever someone gets another pet.
In 1982, Norma would take on her favorite job yet; being a grandma or as the firstborn grandchild Cindy would name her, Nonie. Norma was more than a grandmother to her grandchildren but was their best friend. She built special relationships with her grandchildren and always had nicknames for them like Bear, Deeter, and Bug. Norma loved the role of Nonie so much, that she retired in 1997 promptly after the last grandchild was born. She helped raise her granddaughter Jensine and had an especially close relationship with her and Cindy. Norma spent most days walking around with a giant camcorder capturing every moment with her grandchildren. When she wasn’t recording, she was out shopping at her favorite store Dillard’s,  bringing home animals, going to cheer competitions, burning the marshmallows on the candied
yams every Thanksgiving but most importantly, she was making sure her family knew how loved they were by her.
If there is one thing we can all say for sure, it’s that there will never be another Nonie like ours.
At this time, a Celebration of Life is being planned for the Summer of 2021, in Sutherlin, Oregon  for close family and friends.
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