Norma J Bird

Norma Bird joined Allan and started the next adventure in her journey on January 31, 2021. She has always chosen a challenging road, and the sights that met her were seldom easy, and always worthwhile. While venturing with us she displayed her faith, love, and indomitable spirit. We are poorer for her absence, but richer for the experience.

Norma was born in August of 1937 to Lloyd and Vera Hirst in Denver, Colorado. She was raised in the traditions of the United Methodist Church, and she remained strong in her faith throughout her life. She grew up surround by family; Vera and Lloyd Hirst, her brother Ed, her grandparents Ralph and Mary Weekly, Bill and Irene Sode, their children Mary Lou and Randy, Everett and Zella Salwasser and their daughters Carol, Cathy, Eileen and Laura, and additional generations of children and distant relatives, many of whom lived outside of the metro area but visited frequently. Norma’s family was always involved with the church, in the many different cities where she grew up. During the war in San Francisco with her parents, at backyard picnics every holiday, and in shared times of crisis that all families face.

She liked to say she was a “Farmer’s Daughter”, because her dad had a huge garden and raised chickens on his land in Lakewood, and because it described her hard scrabble attitude. Actually, Lloyd was a Postal Supervisor at the Denver Branch and not strictly speaking a farmer. She prided herself on being a Hirst. Being a Hirst meant that you never backed down, you embraced music and God, and you never used a small hammer when a big hammer was available. She told us later she thought she was something of a Tomboy, because she liked sports and enjoyed hiking, fishing, and the mountains. But the photographs of her past show a beautiful young lady who belonged to several women’s organizations, and even a college sorority. A woman who maintained strong friendships with her childhood friends throughout her long life and was as fierce a friend as she was an advocate for her family.

Norma graduated from Lakewood High School in 1955 and worked several jobs, babysitting, a job at Woolworths, and some secretarial positions that she was qualified for because of Lloyd’s insistence that she know how to type. That next year she headed up to Colorado A&M to pursue her academic studies, joined a sorority and in general have a good time. The following summer Norma and Joe Mattson, a previous next door neighbor’s son who had been close to Lloyd and Vera, pursued a very brief romance that ended up with them becoming quickly engaged.

They were married and shortly thereafter moved to Long Beach, California where Joe began working for Standard Oil as an engineer and Norma for Kaiser Aluminum as a secretary. They enjoyed the beaches and mountains of California and met several lifelong friends while there. In California, Norma gave birth to Patricia Kay, an energetic, girl who brought significant responsibility and joy into her life. Soon, she and Joe would relocate back to Colorado for two years, before moving again to Moab, Utah where they welcomed their son, Charles. Because of Joe’s engineering projects, the family would make a habit of moving approximately every two years. After Utah it was back to Lakewood, then up to Regina, Saskatchewan, and back to Lakewood. The next move to Vancouver, British Columbia was a family favorite for the variety of outdoor activities, special friendships and a house tucked into the woods of West Vancouver. Joe’s job was several hours outside of Vancouver so Norma and the kids spent their days hiking, playing on the beach or exploring the wilderness right outside their home.

Joe and Norma struggled in their marriage as the years continued and divorced in the early seventies. Norma then took on the responsibility of raising both her children and providing for them. She had a brief second marriage to Larry Ashford, but tremendous strain and family dynamics did not allow the relationship to flourish. She went to work for the United States Geological Service as a cartographer and administrative assistant, and taught Typing and Bookkeeping at Red Rocks Community College. During this time, she became passionate about reading and gardening while still finding time to ski, hike, play tennis and ride bikes. Life was hectic and hard, but Norma lived it with a passion.

Around this time, an old friend from a Sunday School book club, who was also recently divorced, looked her up and she and Allan Bird began their long-lasting relationship. Norma and Allan were married in the spring of 1980, and once again Norma, now with a new life partner, began experiencing the world. Allan’s job took them to Platoro and Gold Hill, Colorado, and Yardley, Arizona. They also traveled to Europe, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii for adventure and fun exploratory genealogy trips throughout the United States. Allan retired young, and he and Norma became very active in the church. Mom worked on the Church’s bulletin, Fifty plus, Women’s Club, the Book Club and many others. They were both constant volunteers for the JeffCo Action Center and took enormous pride in that group’s good deeds.

Both Norma and Allan plunged themselves into their grandchildren’s lives. Every school activity, every athletic endeavor, every time a babysitter was needed, they were there. Allan and Norma were there to celebrate, to commiserate, to help, to create art and wonder, to build and shoot rockets or just to visit. The countless tea parties, dress up afternoons, model rocket launches, pumpkin carvings, and Grandma designed birthday cakes will be remembered. Allan and Norma even risked providing driving lessons for their grandsons which they will always remember. Family domino games became treasured holiday traditions.

Through the years, there were many times of joy and sometimes of sorrow, there were times of peace and times of chaos, but Norma continued to find passion in her life by caring for others.

Her courage in battling cancer four times and her debilitating struggle against MS gave constant notice of her strength. Her insistence on participating in her grandchildren’s activities, when her handicap made it nearly impossible, created the legend of Super Grandma. Her ability to laugh, often at herself, during family gatherings is one of those memories that will live with all of us forever and something we will share with our children’s children. At the Village at Belmar, where she sadly passed January 31, 2021, she spent most of her last months away from friends and family due to Covid 19. Even the Village staff agreed that Norma never met a stranger. To the end, she was always reaching out.

Her suffering has ended, and she is in a far better place. Thank you, Norma, for everything. You will live on in the countless lives you touched.

Norma is survived by her two children and their families: Chuck Mattson, Rachael and Nicole Mattson / Linda Sample, and Patty Davies-Nell (John Nell), Seth and Ryan Davies / Kelsey Davies and children, along with numerous step-children, grandchildren and great-grand-children.

In Lieu of flowers please make donations to the Jeffco Action Center.