Obituary of Norma Jean Carmichael

Norma died September 6th, 2017. She will be greatly missed ! Norma was raised in Saskatoon as a city girl but loved to travel with her father to the family farm outside the city in the Blackley district. Following high school graduation Norma headed to Vancouver with friends for adventure. While there she met Graham Carmichael who became her husband of 55 years. Due to his military service they were posted to numerous sites in Canada. Three children were born, Connie in Ottawa, Ken in Montreal and Nancy in Burnaby, BC . Returning to Saskatoon in 1966 Norma continued to work in banking until she decided to work for herself. Self-employment suited her. She established a home décor/furniture business as well as a delightful coffee shop using time honoured family favourite recipes. Retirement at age 85 was solely because she thought ‘I should before I get too old’. Norma loved to travel. Family roots were in Ireland and emigration led to Quebec, Canada. Norma delighted in trips to County Galway Ireland, and to Sutton Quebec where she spent considerable time as a youth with her mother, sisters and grandparents. Norma visited the Orient often, Hong Kong in particular, and New Zealand to maintain contact with her eldest daughter and her family who lived overseas. Norma visited Cuba several times to bask in the sun, drink mojitos and celebrate the revolution. Norma’s family grew beyond her husband and children to include their partners Peter, Jenny and Evan, five grandchildren and their partners Kristin (Chris), Graham (Angela), Daniel, Tracy (Dan) and Jean (Johnny) and five great-grandchildren Adilyn, Ayden, Marcus, Lea and Marley. Norma loved being with her family and hosted many gatherings for meals, swimming and visits to the park just outside her door. The deaths of her husband Graham in 2004 and great-granddaughter Lea in 2014 were terrible blows. As Norma grew older she lamented the loss of family (her mother Constance, her father Al, her sisters Alice and Brenda) and many friends from earlier years. She maintained childhood friendships and delighted in new friends with whom she joined for coffee socials, church functions, cards, Happy Hours, political meetings/campaigns. She had a keen interest in world affairs. The current state of the world was cause for great concern. She believed in democracy, social justice, peace, publicly funded healthcare. She also believed that the SK Roughriders were the best team in the CFL. Norma was kind, caring and compassionate. She was quiet and reflective. She was feisty and independent. With encouragement and support from family and friends she lived in her own home until her death. Her medical team at the Saskatoon Community Clinic was the best, as was DR McKinney.