Norma Dean Condray

Norma Dean Condray, age 87, of Temple, died Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at a local care center. The family will receive visitors from 6-8:00 PM Saturday, August 24, 2013 at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home at 3220 South 31st Street Temple, TX. Funeral services will be on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 3:00 PM at the funeral home. Interment will take place Monday, August 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, Texas.

Norma was born in Elbow, Texas on September 14, 1925 to the late John Urban Underwood and Mattie Mary Wood Underwood.

Norma was a Native Texan and held Texas in her heart throughout her life. She met the love of her life, Kenneth Condray, in Lubbock, Texas in 1942. Ken joined the Navy and served his country in the SeaBees in the Pacific. When he returned in December, 1945, Ken and Deannie were married. They raised three children and were happily married for 65 years when Kenneth preceded her in death in December, 2010.

While living in Amarillo, Norma first began her life-long passion for sewing with her job at the Singer Sewing Center. This love of creating art through needlework lasted throughout her life. During their lives together, Norma served as an officer for the Kansas Waterwell Association while Ken sold irrigation pumps throughout the Midwest and hosted many functions and events during her tenure. She was a well-liked and respected hostess.

Every summer was spent building their idyllic getaway Cabin on the Elk River in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They built it from the ground up themselves even peeling the logs and pouring the foundation. The hospitality of Big Piney, their name for the cabin, was enjoyed by family and friends alike. Their children and grandchildren all grew up with happy memories of the Mountains, rivers, and pines.

Upon Ken’s retirement in 1972, they bought and planted a Texas Pecan orchard in Holland, Texas which yielded crops appreciated by many locals, friends, and neighbors. Norma always had a kind word and a sweet smile and a helping hand for everyone she met. She was well-known for her cooking and especially her pies and cakes. No one ever left her home hungry. Those who tasted her pies rated them as life-altering.

Norma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kenneth Condray, her son Glenn Condray of Mexia, and seven siblings. She is survived by two daughters, Gerry Darlene Bates of Westfield, Mass and Ann Runnels and husband Dale Runnels of Temple, Texas; Nine grandchildren, Avril Plunkett, Brandy Meyer, Crystal Siedel, Jason Condray, Shelby Condray, Randy Runnels, Roger Runnels, Raymond Runnels, and Renee King; Norma had nineteen great grandchildren and nine great great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews whom she held dear.

Mother and Nannie, we will miss your hugs, your smiling face, your shining eyes, your amazing meals, your kind heart, and loving words. We will miss hearing you say that we are beautiful, you are proud of us, and that we look like Movie Stars. We know you are in Heaven with your soul-mate, our Papa and Daddy. Our tears are for our loss not yours.

Memorials may be made in Norma’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association of America.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.crawfordbowers.org

Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home of Temple has been entrusted with arrangements.