Norma May Kohout

Norma left her earthly form July 8, 2025, at age 103 at home in Sacramento with the eyes of Rhoda Alem at her side.

Norma Kohout grew up in Modesto, California. Mom went from working with Pacific Bell Telephone as an operator during World War II. Afterwards she worked at the Oakland Tribune in the Circulation Department, where she met Bill Kohout, a Navy man; married him in 1947; and then gave birth to Carolynn and then Thomas.

Norma “settled” in Hayward, moved to Portland, Oregon, to White Plains, and to Chappaqua, New York where she worked for Reader's Digest. In 1955 the family drove to and “settled” in the East Bay. 1958 in Los Angeles she became the (Episcopal) Church of Our Savior secretary.

1959 in San Francisco, California, Norma began to blossom: became the San Francisco Boys Chorus Chaperone at the Opera House when the boys sang and Counselor when they practiced; attended San Francisco State College graduating in 1970 with a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Humanities. In 1968 student Norma placed herself between striking students and the police, called in by President S.I. Hayakawa (elevated from a linguist professor to President during the demonstrations).

After graduating, Norma promptly landed a teaching position in Language Arts at Mark Twain Middle School, Modesto, California, from which she retired in 1985. During her career she was a member of the California Curriculum Commission and the California Teachers Association Bargaining Team.

1986 in Sacramento, Norma was not daunted by retirement. She became involved in the senior program at Sacramento Community College conducting student orientations and counseling. She took a Life History writing class at Hart Senior Center, where she met Janet Carncross Chandler, who had a poetry group. She became active in it, which lead Ms. Chandler to giving her its leadership. Here the poet blossomed. With self discipline she created striking imagery by precisely using words so you felt you saw everything for the first time.

Norma self-published chapbook Family Treasure and Rattlesnake Press published All Aboard!, a second chapbood and a broadside, Out the Train Window. Chaparral, Ina Coolbrith anthologies, Tigers Eye, Brevities, Song of the San Joaquin, Rattlesnake Review, Littlesnake Broadside, Towe Museum Free-Wheeling, and Sacramento Voices have published her poetry.

Norma was a member of the California Federation of Chaparral Poets and founded the Sacramento Poetry Workshop at the Hart Senior Center, creating an atmosphere of warmth, support, and intellectual vigor with integrity. Poetry writing gives a poet a voice to his or her subconscious stirrings.

Norma was ecumenical: was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Community; organized a chapter of Daughters of the King at All Saints Episcopal Church; read the Bible (Christian and Jewish), The Bhagavad Gita (Hindu); chanted Sanskrit mantras, and was a seeker in the Bahai Faith.

The family would like to thank Rhoda Alem for her wise, grounded, and compassionate work as Mom's caregiver; Sutter Health Hospice Services who treated Mom and me like queens; the Belle Coolidge Public Library near her home for their care and concern for me during my use of this library; Shobhana Rishi for many helpful and timely assists; and the many individuals who have spontaneously been kind.