Norma was born at home in Rice County, Kansas, on June 9, 1925 to her parents Harry Appel and Hazel Wilson Appel. She grew up on a farm outside of Scott City, Kansas. She attended a small country grade school in Rice County, Kansas. She lost her Father in a drowning accident when she was 16. Her mother sold the farm and they moved into town. She graduated from Scott City High School in 1944. Shortly after graduation she moved to Seattle, Washington with her sister, Jessie. She worked at the ship yard, folding blueprints of Navy ships.
Norma moved to Dodge City, KS in 1946. It was then she met Ben Page on a blind date in June and they eloped to Cimarron, KS and were married on September 15, 1946. On April 11, 1948, their first child was born, Bruce Fredrick Page. On June 5, 1951, their second son was born, Bradly Del Page. On September 26, 1961, their daughter was born, Bridget June Page. In 1953, Ben built her what she called, her “Mansion on Haggard Addition”. They lived there for 42 years, raised their family and enjoyed their grandchildren.
During Norma’s life she enjoyed, doing ceramics, dancing, gardening, painting and most of all she loved and enjoyed her family. She took up painting when she was in her sixty’s. She was a natural and painted many, many beautiful and priceless pieces of art.
Norma and Ben moved to Hutchinson, Kansas in 1995. Ben was fighting cancer. On June 19, 1997 she lost her beloved husband of 51 years. She was lost without him. She moved to Lowell, Arkansas to live by her daughter and son Bradly. She painted, played with her grandchildren, and made some new friends at the Senior center.
In 2005, Norma was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. By the end of 2007, she moved to a nursing home. There she enjoyed bingo, church and family visits until she went to heaven on October, 18, 2020.
Funeral services 8:30 a.m. Friday; October 23, 2020 at the St. Cornelius Episcopal Church, with interment following in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas. Visitation 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Ziegler Funeral Chapel in Dodge City, Kansas.