Norma Jean Pence

Norma Jean Pence, 95, of Okemos, Michigan, passed away peacefully on May 3, 2025. She was born on September 13, 1929, in Green County, Wisconsin, the eldest child of Carl and Harriet (Havekorst) Hannes.

Norma grew up as a farm girl, beginning in Sylvester, WI where she attended the one-room Greenbush Country School through eighth grade. With the family’s move to their own dairy farm in Albany, WI, Norma graduated from Albany High School, where she played trumpet in the band and was active in 4-H. Among her vivid childhood memories were the arrival of electricity to the farm, the purchase of their first tractor (a Farmall F-12), and rushing to the milk house to tell her parents of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

With aspirations to become a nurse, Norma attended Milton College before beginning her formal training at Columbia Hospital School of Nursing in Milwaukee. Her rigorous program included hospital work, classes at Marquette University in Milwaukee, and psychiatric nurse training at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. She began her nursing career in 1950 as a Registered Nurse and Obstetrics Supervisor at Columbia Hospital and later served as a Public Health Nurse with the Milwaukee County Health Department.

In 1955 she married Jim Pence of Milwaukee. Together, they raised their family in Milwaukee and later in Linden, Michigan. Norma balanced work and motherhood, eventually returning to Milwaukee and serving 15 years as a nurse supervisor in a psychiatric ward at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex. She was a devoted member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Wauwatosa, WI.

Norma had a lifelong love of nature, travel, sewing, and birds—especially the red cardinal. She organized family camping trips across the U.S. and, in retirement, traveled to Europe and Mexico. Her compassionate nature extended to animals as well; she especially loved guinea pigs, including her last, Jose, who was the only resident guinea pig at Bickford Senior Living in Okemos, Michigan, where Norma spent her final decade.

She is survived by her children, Tom (Lora) Pence of Okemos, MI, and Diane Pence of West Brookfield; her grandchildren, Nathan (Emma) Pence and Dawning Pence of Okemos; Alexandra French (Fernando), Peter French, and great-grandson Benjamin of West Brookfield, MA; and her brother Paul Hannes of Monroe, WI. She is also lovingly remembered by many nieces and nephews.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Carl Hannes, of Albany, WI.

Funeral services will be private.

Final resting place will be at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield, Wisconsin.