Norma Inez Shorrock

Norma and her sister, June, along with their parents Dorothy and Eli Larson spent part of their youth growing up on an avocado farm in Southern California. They then moved to Portland, Oregon followed by Beacon Hill in Seattle.

Norma was married to Arthur John Shorrock, Jr., three weeks after Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

Art served in World War II. While he was training, Norma followed him to Florida. While she was home in Seattle, she completed her high school education and worked at the Exchange Building in Seattle.

After Art returned from the war the couple rented an apartment on Mercer Street on Capitol Hill. They worked to save money for a house. While on Capitol Hill Carolyn was born in 1947.

Norma and Art purchased a house on 33rd Ave. SW in West Seattle. Betsy was born in 1951 and Arthur in 1953.

The family moved into the big house in 1958 which was the family home. It was originally the home of Art’s grandfather, Samuel Inch. In approximately 1963 the family moved into the Carlson home (two doors away from the big house).

Norma and Art built their dream house on the beach side of the little house in 1973.

Norma loved new inventions and technology. She purchased a rolling dishwasher that hooked up to the kitchen. Norma had one of the first personal computers running MSDOS, Word Perfect and dial up internet. She maintained a prodigy.com email address until 2017.

During their retirement Norma and Art enjoyed sailing in Puget Sound, traveling in their Airstream trailer and spending winters in their winter home in Sun City, Arizona.

Art died of a stroke in 1996.

Norma travelled with her sister, June, to Ireland. They also began a daily email communication. They created a mutual journal.

Norma joined an exercise group at the senior center in West Seattle. She also took bridge lessons and joined a bridge club that met both at the senior center and in the basement of her home.

In 2017 Norma fell down the stairs in her home and broke her hip. She spent time in Swedish Hospital having hip surgery. She recovered at Providence St. Vincent in the Transitional Care Unit. She returned home with 24 hour care. In 2018 she moved to Angelwings Adult Family Home where she died on February 20, 2023.

She had several careers including secretary, real estate broker and Social Security Representative.

Norma and Art were members of the Corinthian Yacht Club and Norma was an active member of The League of Women Voters.

Norma is survived by her two daughters: Carolyn Richter of Arlington, Washington and Elizabeth Slyfield of Los Angeles; three grandsons: John Slyfield of Kent, Washington, Jeffrey Richter of Summit, New Jersey and Robert Richter of Marco Island, Florida; and two great grandchildren: Jacob and Adina Richter

Services will be held at 12 noon, April 10 at Butterworth Funeral Home, 520 West Raye St. on Queen Anne Hill and her remains will be buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery next to her husband and son.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the family.