Norma Patricia Hughes Waters

Hughes, Fowler, Waters

Born August 16, 1935 to Parents Pearl and Percival Hughes. She was the youngest of 3 siblings. Brother Bob being the oldest by 4 yrs. and sister Frances older by 2 yrs.

They were children of the depression era and so learned their survival skills. Norma was big into sports and so while attending Maple Ridge High School she participated in Basketball, volleyball, badminton as well as track and field events. After High School She went on to compete for Vancouver Olympic club. She competed in and won the senior girls aggregate B.C. championships track and field in Shot Put, Javelin throw and Discus throw. In 1952 she challenged the Olympic Trials.

In her High School years her mother remarried to Rudy Preuss, a very kind and caring stepfather. Norma Graduated from High School and carried on to study Psychiatric Nursing in New Westminster where she lived on campus. She Graduated as a Psychiatric Nurse in 1955. She would continue to work in this field for another 12 years.

Norma met a young man named Fred Fowler and the romance would lead to marriage. October 5,1957

Her first marriage brought her into a large family in the Fowlers. With Fred she had 4 wonderful children. Linda, Mark and then at the age of 32 she gave birth to twins, Loyd and Arlene. Twins that were a record breaking weight that would stand for quite a few years at Surrey Memorial Hospital. They decided that Norma should quit working at the hospital for a while to raise the kids. She never did return to her career. Life got very complicated after that.

With the twins only 4 yrs. old, Norma and Fred divorced. It was a difficult time to be a divorced female with 4 children to raise. At that time she married Phil Waters who had 4 children of his own. Now there were 8 children to look after. Wow mom! It was quite the adventure with our new family but it didn't last. After 6 months of marriage to Phil, the marriage was annulled. They definitely were not compatible!

Next Norma bought a home on her own. Still in Surrey, on 82A Street near 144th. This was so her children could stay at the same schools. At that time Norma was working for the government at a tree nursery in the Cloverdale area. Here she took on every job she could to increase her income and soon landed a full time position which she held onto till forced into early retirement in 1997. Norma enjoyed working in the outdoors and working growing trees to be planted out where the forestry logging had taken place. Some of the seedlings Norma grew were planted around the forestry campsite where the family vacationed. That was special.

Norma met Paul at the legion in Newton through mutual friends. Around 1976 Norma moved her family in with Paul's family. Six more children, so 10 kids but only 7 living at home. Teresa, Chris, Gord, Bob, Tim and Cindy.

Linda graduated from Nuclear Medicine in 1978, Norma was so proud. Mark became a heavy duty mechanic and Loyd a mechanic with his own successful business. Norma was proud of all her children, Paul's included. Most working as mechanics in one field or another. Daughter Cindy became an entrepreneur with her own house keeping business.

Norma and Paul made a good life together and life was good for all. Mom always tried to pull her weight by insisting on paying half of everything. It was difficult but she did it, not because Paul insisted, but because of her previous life experiences.With Paul, Norma got to go on camping and fishing vacations with all the children. That was what they could afford with so many children. The kids loved it. Paul also brought dirt biking, four track riding, and snowmobiling. Paul was a mechanic and passed this trade on to the children. Raising so many children was not without challenges, but with the exception of one, daughter Arlene, all the children landed on their own feet. Arlene developed a drug addiction that proved to be troublesome. But Norma endured, never giving up on her daughter, always trying to do what she thought was best for her. One by one all the children married off and some even brought grandchildren into Paul and Norma’s life.

By 1998 Norma had a big yard. 2.5 acres in Aldergrove, BC. Norma’s first real nice spacious home. She had room for flower and vegetable gardens. She loved it. In later years Norma & Paul managed a few cruises to Alaska, Panama, New England and Eastern Canada, and the Mediterranean. Norma enjoyed having all those meals prepared for her! Norma and Paul did a good job raising the children, and even took on helping to raise grandchild Nicole. They sacrificed their retirement years to do so. In 2011, after 35 years together, Paul passed away and life got turned upside down again. While dealing with grief and all that goes with it, their house was sold and Norma moved from the acreage to a townhouse complex near Loyd's home. This took a lot out of her but she came to realize that it was for the best as she was aging. Though she would never admit it. Norma fought the aging process all the way. She was never old enough to join the senior’s center for some reason!

Granddaughter Nicole continued to live with her after the move. The age differences were becoming apparent and they had a hard time getting along even though they loved each other. Norma went well beyond what was expected of her for raising Nicole. Nicole enjoyed many years of figure skating where Norma volunteered lots of hours. She made sure Nicole had an education. Nicole chose to became a Hospital Support Specialist. Grandma was so proud of Nicole.

Because of Norma’s love for gardening and not much to do for gardening at her townhome, for the first 6 years of living in the townhouse in Langley Norma took on summer jobs gardening for other people. She had 3 steady clients who kept her quite busy. She was never to work more than 4 hrs a day. It helped to keep her busy and gave her extra spending money, though she didn't need it (she thought she did).

Norma also spent time trying to help daughter Arlene, running her to appointments and taking her food. They shared lunches together as well but all the while Arlene still lived the life of an addict and no matter what that did not change. Sadly in December of 2016 Arlene passed away from a drug overdose. This hit Norma quite hard but also with some relief as Arlene was no longer suffering. Norma missed the time she got to spend each week with her daughter but with support of family she managed to find the strength to keep going. At this point in her life, Norma decided to try out assisted living accommodations and sold her townhouse. She was excited about having her meals prepared for her and not having to do dishes and very little house work. Excited about the extra activities and new friends she would make. Daughter Linda came to stay and assist with the downsizing for the move. Norma was in good spirits through the whole cleanup process. Sadly on the weekend of the big move Norma was overtaken by a bad infection which she battled right up to her last day. At 78 pounds she did not have much to fight it with.

Norma had picked the time of 8:30 as an important one to her and as it turned out it was. At 8:45 pm on Monday May 8, 2017 Norma stepped onto the plane that would take her to Heaven. We said her plane was a little late on takeoff due to Norma’s legs being slow. We like to think of Norma with new legs, perfect hearing and eyesight. Dancing up a storm at her reception party with Paul, Arlene, Christine, and her Mother Pearl.

Norma leaves behind daughter Linda and son in law Bob, son Mark with daughter in law Kerri and Grandchildren Josh and Miranda (Julie)

son Loyd with daughter in law Shannon, grandchildren Mikaela, Jaylene, Georgia (Lisa) grandchild Nicole [Arlene’s daughter] also Stepchildren;

Teresa and Wayne, Chris and Chrissy, Bob, Gord and Trish, Tim and Rita, Cindy and Paul and all the grandchildren with them.

A Service of Remembrance will be held on Friday May 19, 2017 at 1:00pm at Henderson's Langley Funeral Home 20786 Fraser Highway Langley, BC

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