Norma Graham

Aug. 23, 1932 – Aug. 23, 2011

After winning many battles over the years in her struggle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, the cancer finally won the war and Norma Graham died early on the morning of August 23, 2011. It was her 79th birthday.She faced her ordeals with courage and determination, and never once gave up hope that she would eventually get better. While the lymphoma was put into remission again with the last bout of chemotherapy, the cumulative effects of the long history of treatments had taken its toll, and she was unable to win that last battle. But she continued to fight to the very last.She was born in Greybull on August 23, 1932, to Chester and Mamie Collingwood, and moved with her family to Lovell at the age of four. She was working as a waitress in a local café in 1948 when she met an oil field hand who won her heart. Not wanting to let him go, she married Victor Graham in Billings, in 1949, and for several years they followed the oil field work in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. In 1953, they returned to Lovell and she remained a resident here for the remainder of her life.Her great passion in later years was fishing, and she is surely walking a mountain trout filled stream somewhere now without pain. She started working at an early age, and filled many positions around the area over the years, including an inspector at the Big Wig Cannery, a dietician at the old North Big Horn Hospital and at The Red Apple. She was well respected, and she will be missed by those that knew her. Hopefully all will remember her with a smile, and recall the busy little lady who could move at top speed, whether it was through a store or doing the yard.Norma was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 45 years Victor, son Michael, brother LeRoy Collingwood and sister Kathleen Petersen. She is survived by her son Randy of Lovell, sister Florence Potter of Columbus, Neb., brother Chester Collingwood of El Paso, Texas, and sister-in-law Hanne Collingwood of Byron, along with many nieces and nephews.As per her request, cremation has taken place, and a private burial will take place at a later time in Lovell. In lieu of flowers, she asked that a donation be made to the charity of your choice.