Norma Jean Sedlock

She grew up in Berea, Ohio where her family was active in athletics and the local Lutheran church. Norma had a beautiful singing voice and sang at many weddings. One of the highlights of her youth was singing the soprano solos at the Baldwin Wallace College production of the Messiah.

She married George Sedlock soon after graduating from Berea High School in 1946. They had their son, Tom, in 1948. While George pursued his career in the container manufacturing industry, Norma stayed home and took care of the children. Their daughter, Janet was born in 1960. For the early part of their marriage, they lived in Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. She often spoke fondly of trips to Manhattan to see Broadway productions such as Funny Girl and Hello Dolly. Many Broadway show tunes could be heard throughout the house during that time.

Norma spent the last 45 years living in Bellevue, WA. She was active as a school volunteer and supporting her children’s interests. She even coached her daughter’s elementary school basketball team, recalling her glory years playing half-court basketball in high school.

In 1983, George retired from his first career and the two of them started G&N Thoroughbreds where they owned and raced several of the most successful horses at Longacres and Emerald Downs during the eighties and nineties. Military Hawk who remained #2 on the all-time Washington earnings list as of 2011 and Cadette Stevens were Washington-bred greats. While George was described as the business head of their endeavor, Norma was the heart. Colonel Stevens, Erin’s Lord, Marketal and the others were like family. On their weekly visit to the farm, the horses would all run to greet Norma as she came with her bag of carrots in hand.

Norma was an avid reader and one of the lasting images of her is sitting on the couch with her view of Lake Washington and reading her book. For many years, she worked the paper’s daily crossword puzzle and even in later times, amaze all with her ability to pull those words out of her head.

She was a big supporter of Husky athletics, particularly football and women’s basketball. The Sedlocks have provided six endowed scholarships to help pay for the education of student athletes in women’s basketball, track, and softball and men’s football, tennis, and baseball.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband, George, and son, Thomas J. Sedlock. She is survived by her daughter, Janet Sedlock Wallace, son-in-law, Rhea Wallace, daughter-in-law, Greta Sedlock, and grandchildren, Kyra Wallace and Matt and Jana Endicott.

While dementia and ill health consumed her last years, her family will always remember how her smiling face would beam when they visited. She loved her Chardonnay and always found a reason to make a toast. You’re right, mom, “you never know.”