Norine Lucille Perisich

Born Norine Lucille Borel on November 14, 1929, to Romulus (Ray) Borel and Louise Escallier in Bakersfield, California, Norine spent her childhood on the General Petroleum Oil lease at Grapevine—a small hillside community above the old Highway 99 near Lebec. She lived there for 19 years while her father worked at the pumping station alongside six other families. She attended grammar and middle school in the nearby Grapevine/Lebec area and often spoke fondly of the natural beauty that surrounded her. The hills, mountains, and sweeping views became the inspiration for many of her earliest drawings and watercolors. One of her first paintings, a view from her home with her feet visible in the foreground, once hung proudly in the Grapevine Café until a runaway truck destroyed the café—and the painting with it. It would be only the first of many works that reflected her artistic eye and deep appreciation for the world around her.

Norine graduated from Kern County Union High School in Bakersfield, where her passion for art flourished. Several of her watercolor paintings depicting scenes of the Grapevine area were displayed in a special showing on the mezzanine of Bakersfield’s Harvey Auditorium. She went on to study art at both San Jose State University and Bakersfield College, learning life drawing, watercolor, and sketching techniques that continued to shape her work throughout her life.

After college, Norine worked briefly for Ray Redfern Insurance Co. before joining the Human Resources Department at Richfield Oil. She met Stan Perisich in 1953, and the two were married on July 17, 1954, at the Santa Barbara Mission. Stan’s work in the cattle industry took them to ranches in Arizona and Central California during their early years of marriage before eventually settling back in Bakersfield to raise their two children, Susan and John.

Norine remained deeply engaged in the Bakersfield community. She was a devoted member and volunteer with both the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the Guild House of Bakersfield, and a faithful member of St. Philip the Apostle Church.

She is survived by her two children, Susan Wheelan (Brad) of Ventura, California, and John Perisich (Jill) of Laguna Hills, California; and her four grandchildren, Brogan Wheelan, Bronson Wheelan, Anna Perisich, and Ryan Perisich.

Norine also leaves behind an extraordinary artistic legacy—hundreds of pieces representing thousands of hours spent painting, sketching, and capturing the simple beauty of everyday life. Her family and all who were touched by her art will carry these treasures, and her spirit, forward.

A private family service will be held graveside on December 10, 2025, at Greenlawn Cemetery Southwest in Bakersfield, California.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to caregivers Karen Klucken and Thuy Silva, as well as Cornerstone Homes and Mission Viejo Hospice, for the compassionate care and support given to Norine in her later years.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Norine’s name may be made to the Guild House of Bakersfield, which supports local charities, or the Bakersfield Museum of Art, which uplifts local artists like Norine.