Graydon, Norma Christine (nee Secord) passed away on February 5th in West Vancouver at the age of 90. She was predeceased by her eldest daughter, Sally Christine Soroka and is survived by her loving husband of 69 years, West Graydon, daughters Sue and Shari (David), son Patrick (Jennifer), six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Born on a farm in the Niagara region in 1931, she moved to Montreal and became a Registered Nurse in the early 1950s. She met and married shortly thereafter, but not before making clear to her civil engineering intended that she planned to continue to work even after she had children. Although this was very unusual for the times, she received no resistance from her proud spouse, who understood he had married his match and admired her myriad abilities.
Norma was strong, capable and hard-working, intellectually curious and aesthetically attentive. She raised her children in a home full of music and books, and expected them to help with household chores, get summer jobs and pursue higher education.
Shortly after the family moved from Montreal to Vancouver in 1969, Norma was offered the opportunity to become a manufacturer’s representative for several European designer furniture and upholstery companies. Despite her lack of previous experience, she became a very successful sales agent.
However, she always retained the ability to “put on her nursing cap” and throughout her life, provided ad hoc medical advice whenever asked by family members and friends. And she returned to nursing later in her life, finding particular fulfillment on the palliative care ward in her final working years.
Norma supported West in accepting several overseas assignments, facilitating their moves and enjoying their adventures in both the Bahamas and Hawaii. Upon retirement, this taste for warmer temperatures and cultural expansion precipitated their relocation to Mexico where they lived for seven years. In the early 2000s, they moved back to Canada, settling in Victoria.
At a recent online memorial, Norma was remembered by her family as having been tough, loving, articulate and well-dressed, a good cooking teacher, a powerful role-model, and an excellent hugger. She is already deeply missed.