Norrine was one of my best friends for over 30 years. We traveled all over the west together visiting the Grand Canyon,  lots of sites in Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco, among others. Norrine loved to travel. When she left Canandaiqua we kept in touch with frequent visits, pharmacy ce meetings, and calls. After I moved to Indianapolis it became harder to visit but she joined me in Scottsdale once when I had a meeting. Every time I make banana bread I think of Norrine and coffee breaks at Thompson hospital. She always updated me on all the events in NY when we talked. I so miss her cheerful voice and hope her pain has departed. 
 

We attended the graveside service for Norrine.  The setting was peaceful and lovely.  We first met Norrine at a little Christian church that is now gone.  We went to Sunday school parties where we sang old hymns and out to dinner for many birthdays of friends in our church group.  We especially enjoyed our small group that held season tickets to the opera.  We met after the opera to eat at Mimi's or try a new place and discuss what we liked about the performance.  Norrine most often ordered pork chops.  It was a favorite of hers.  We all talked at once and laughed a lot.  She was the organizer, sending an email about where to meet.  She was a faithful friend.  Morgan and Sharon Hunter  

A family friend that will be missed by many in Ohio.   The love of Canandaigua Lake, your father and our friendship will be with me for the rest of my life. Bless you Norrine.  



Words as spoken at Service 
Officiated By
Pastor Tom Savage
Amphitheater Bible Church
Tucson, Arizona
Memorial Service for
Norrine McMillan…..February 4th, 2021

We have come to this hallowed place today to celebrate the life of Norrine McMillan, a woman who loved, and was loved, by a lot of people. I envied the life that she lived.
It seemed that she was always off somewhere, hiking, and just being a of God’s wonderful creation. And she went to some fascinating places! Ireland, or Scotland, to walk the ancient trails.
But, all too soon, the ability to do that, was taken from her, and she had to content herself with the memories of those special places. 
And, in part, that’s why we’re here right now…to Remember the life Norrine lived, as we say a final earthly farewell, knowing with a certainty that we will see her again, one fine day, and knowing that now, with a perfect body, that will never again become tired, or ill, she is free to trek all over God’s amazing universe!
We are promised in God’s holy word that, if we are faithful unto death, we will receive the “Crown of Life” at our parting.
There are so many scriptures that apply to us here today. Psalm 30, verse 5, says, “Sorrow endures for an evening, but joy returned with the morning.” That means that this deep sorrow we feel right now, will, with time, grow easier, and we’ll be able to think of her with a smile, instead of a tear. 
The scripture also says, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” And we know that’s where Norrine is, right now. And as much as you miss her today, none of us would wish her back into that worn out, painful body she has now abandoned, to receive her new perfect body, in the presence of the Lord, and in her Heavenly home. No more pain, no more sadness, no more grief.
You see, the Lord always knows best, and He decided that it was time for Norrine to lay down her burdens of illness and suffering, and to finally find rest and refreshment that only Heaven can “provide”…
So, while her passing causes sorrow for you, for her it is a great victory….because to live for Jesus as she did means to conquer death, and to experience all the wonders that God has prepared for those who love him…wonders so glorious. We’re told that our human minds can’t even begin to imagine them.
 For the child of God, death of the body is always a victory, for at least these two reasons…
First, death ends the “physical limitations” of the earthly body, it sets us free with a brand new body, a perfect body, and a new and perfect mind, with which we can finally understand so many things that puzzle us now.
Charles Kingley wrote, “Death is victory because it ends all the diseases of the body…all the errors of the mind…it wipes out all the mistakes of the past…it unites us with loved ones who have gone on before…and it places us in the presence of the Almighty God for all Eternity.”
Every Easter we celebrate Jesus, and his new resurrected body, and we understand that He is the example for us, and the new body we will have… and we take his promise as out hope, when he said “I am the Resurrection and the Life, He who believes in me, tho he is dead, yet shall he live, and whoever believes in me shall never die.”
So beloved Norrine did not die that Friday, her worn out disease ridden body died, but she lives on, in that new body, in Glory. Weep for yourself because you miss her, but don’t weep for her, because she is perfect.
Now the second reason death is victory for the child of God, is that in Heaven, and only in Heaven, can we experience real happiness.
Here on earth, we get glimpses of happiness now and then, but only in the presence of God who made us can we know complete happiness. 
There, there will be a painful parting like this…there will never be any illness of sorrow again…no fears no doubts.
I don’t know why good people suffer and die while evil people seem to go on forever…I don’t know a lot of things…but there is one thing that I do know with absolute certainty, and it is this… There are far worse things than to die, physically, and the worst of those is to die spiritually!...It’s to die without Jesus… It’s to die without hope…to die without the promise of Heaven.
Paul the Apostle once wrote…” I know that God, who raised up the Lord Jesus, will also raise us up, with Jesus.”
We’re getting close to that celebration of Easter again, and everybody knows that celebration is all about the crucified, murdered son of God, come alive out of the tomb of stone…Everybody knows that…but not everybody knows that, that same amazing resurrection is available for them!
Norrine told a lot of people about the glorious hope while she was alive, and now, as we mourn her death, I want to tell you again, what she probably already has told you …
And it’s this: GOD LOVES YOU! He sent His own Son, to die for you, and to pay for his sins. We all have sins, the best of us and the worst…but all those sins are paid for, and salvation is available because of it..
So if you don’t know Jesus today, then meet with me sometime today, and just let me introduce you to Him.
And if you do already know Him, then you know this time of parting is not permanent…that there will come a time of reunion, one day soon.
Norrine is gone, but she will never be forgotten, and one day, you will see her again.

LET’S PRAY



I liked Norrine very much.  We were in the Southern Arizona Hiking  Clib  together and  went on many of the same hikes.  I especially remember walking up the road in Sabino Canyon on Monday nights.  There were many other day time hikes as well.  I’m told that before I moved to Tucson, Norrine was even more active and was a peak bagger.  That’s a group in  the club that hiked (on trails) to the top of peaks in the area.

I'm so sorry to hear of Norrine's death.  As fellow members of the Southern Arizona Hiking Club, we shared many happy times out on the trails, enjoying the best the Sonoran Desert has to offer.  She'll be remembered as an all-around good gal. 

Norine was a dear hiking club and personal friend for many years.  She introduced me to Pleasure Bent Travel tours,  and we did a wonderful trip together to Catalina Island.   We hike many trails and years with Southern Arizona Hiking Club,  especially the Reid Park Stroll.   We shared medical information,  aches and pains through years, political thoughts and food preferences.   She hated cheese!!!!  I will miss her dearly!
Her friend, Susan

Norrine and I met most often on hikes sponsored by the Southern Arizona Hiking Club (SAHC). She was an avid hiker and committed many hours to SAHC activities.  Norrine and I were part of the "Go-Slow" group and often ended up near the back of the group.  We often laughed because she was not sure-footed on the downhill because of so much scree on the trail.  I was slow on the uphill. Between the two hiking styles, we shared many of laughs together, enjoying every step from the back of the pack.
You are missed, Norrine.

What a good and joyful singer Norrine was, and a positive presence in the University Community Chorus!  She will be truly missed by her friends and fellow singers.  Peace and comfort to all who knew her at this time of her passing.

We are so very thankful to have had her in our lives all these years. We will miss her so very much, and will cherish our memories. She was so very special to us!
   We love you Aunt Norrine xoxo


All of us at the Tucson Botanical Gardens were so sorry to hear of Norrine's passing.  She  spent over 2,000 hours working in the Gardens and in the Butterfly Pavilion.  She was one of those special volunteers that was always happy to lend a hand, whether it was at an event, a family program, or just simply acting as visitor greeter. She sure will be missed. 

OBITUARY

Norrine Ann McMillan

December 9, 1942 – January 15, 2021

East Lawn Palms Mortuary & Cemetery

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