Norma Szymanski, age 93, of Ogden, Utah died Sunday, January 20, 2019, in the George E. Wahlen Veterans’ Home. She was born September 13, 1925, in Fairview, Franklin County, Idaho, to Alonzo Hazelton Harding and Margaret Rue Larsen Harding. She grew up in Fairview and graduated from Preston High School.
Norma loved music and sang in the high school Acapella Choir. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and began directing music at the age of 16. She continued this and singing in and directing choir until the age of 80.
Norma sang in many choirs, including the Elda Carlsen Ladies Chorus in Preston and in a Ladies Barbershop group in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She enjoyed singing with her sisters most of all. Norma married Thaddeus Szymanski of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, on November 20, 1945 in the Logan Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
They made their home in Fairview, Idaho, but found themselves with no work after 5 years of marriage so they moved to Goodridge, Minnesota, where they built a Grade A Dairy. Here they raised 6 children. Norma was a 4-H club leader, and worked for 5 as secretary/bookkeeper at Goodridge School District.
None of their children expressed an interest in farming. Arthritis was plaguing Norma and Thad, so they sold the farm and moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona in 1970. Norma worked as bookkeeper at Ray Lumber for 18 years.
After retiring, they moved to Bluebell, Utah in 1989. Thad passed away in 1996. Their daughter, Mary (Kerry) Bird of Bluebell, passed away in 2004.
Norma moved to Ogden to be closer to family in 2005. She was also preceded in death by 2 brothers; DeWayne (Clara) and Spencer (Donna) Harding, and 3 sisters: Anna (Doran) Barlow, Carol (Orville) Harmer, and Margaret (Glen) Meek; and 2 grandsons, James and John Moore. She is survived by one brother, Thomas Blake (JoAnn) Harding of North Ogden.
She is survived by 4 sons: Lon (Mozelle), West Jordan, UT; Ben (Phyllis), Clyde, Kansas; Richard (Cindy), Clinton, UT; Paul (Sharon), Rose Park, UT; one daughter, Christine (John) Moore, Ogden, UT; 41 grandchildren and 116 great-grandchildren, with 5 more expected by this summer. Norma loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and knew each of them by name. The family would like to thank the employees and volunteers of the George E. Whalen Veteran’s home and Independence Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints….
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at the Wasatch Ward Chapel, 6350 Combe Road, Ogden, where there will be a viewing that morning from 10-10:45 a.m. Burial will be in the Bluebell Cemetery on Monday, February 4, 2019.
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