Norma L. Bowersox

Norma Louise (Higgins) Bowersox, 82, passed away after a fall in her home in Harwich. Born 8/21/29 in Cambridge MA to Jerome S. Higgins (High School History Teacher at Cambridge Ridge and Latin) and Venita Baker (also a school teacher), she was the oldest of 4 children.

She grew up in Cambridge, MA and spent her summers with her parents and siblings camping at Nickerson State Park. Education was very important to Norma and she was proud of her sharp mind, reading books, completing crossword puzzles and playing scrabble until the end of her life.

She earned her BS in Education at Framingham State College in 1951. After teaching first grade in MA, her mother encouraged her to teach on a military base overseas. She was assigned to Yokota Air Force Base in Japan. It is there that she met an air force pilot and had her first two children before she returned to the United States to meet her in-laws.

From 1955-1983, she raised three children and traveled/moved every 1-2 years throughout the United States and the Far East. She helped her three children, Janis, from Fairfield, CT, Jayne, from Charlotte, NC and Dave, from Frisco, TX, make the most of their education and even helped her husband earn his college degree. They were divorced in 1983, when he retired from the Air Force. She returned to Cape Cod, a place she loved and held near and dear to her heart.

Norma loved the beach, especially Nauset Beach in Orleans. She was an expert at building sand forts and riding the waves. When she stopped being able to do these things, she continued to enjoy watching people at the beach; she had her last trip to Nauset Beach on June 23, complete with onion rings from Liam’s.

She lived in her own home in Harwich until 2005, when she had a house fire. Shortly after, she had a series of medical problems that brought her on death’s door. Her family opted to try electric shock therapy, as a last resort, under the incredible care of Dr. Jing Patrinostro at Behavioral Health Services of Cape Cod Healthcare. Shockingly enough, Norma thrived for the next six years at the Royal at Harwich Center. She recently returned to live independently at her home. Her three children are very proud of their mother, Norma, and her fighting independent spirit. She will be remembered as an avid reader and an excellent mother who loved to share her recipes.

Her family would also like to acknowledge the excellent care that Norma received from Dr. Carol Topolewski in Harwich over the last two decades. Dr. Topolewski was Norma’s health partner and advocate. Norma’s neighbor, (neighbor Christina, and Diane Denesha of caregiving agency, Creative Home Services)

In addition to her three children, Norma leaves a legacy in her 4 grandchildren, Matt, Becky, Meg and Charlie. Her brother, Peter, who is in Lincoln, MA, and her sister, Judy Parks who lives in Hawaii. She was predeceased by three very special relatives, her aunts Janet (LaPlante) Gage from Chatham who died in February, Margaret (Miggie) Steinmetz of Brewster, and Norma’s brother Jerome (Buddy) Higgins of Concord, MA.

Mom, per your desire many times, you’ll be “coming home today.”

A small family ceremony took place on Nauset Beach on July 21, 2012.