NORMA LANGWORTHY Obituary

LANGWORTHY--Norma Shea Theatrical producer and beloved mother and grandmother, passed away January 28, 2012 at her home in New York City. Norma was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June 24, 1919 to Joseph and Jeannette Shea. She received her BA in Drama from Carnegie-Mellon University. In 1943 Norma married David Langworthy at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, afterwards moving to Philadelphia, PA where they resided until 1979. Norma was an accomplished dancer and had a successful career prior to her marriage. In Philadelphia Norma was active with the Plays and Players Theater and the Walnut Street Theater. Off Broadway Norma was co-producer for Cliffhanger, The Perfect Party and The Road to Mecca. On Broadway she was an associate producer of Sweet Sue, and The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Lonesome West; and producer of Getting and Spending and A Thousand Clowns. Norma was a member of the League of Professional Theater Women, the Irish Repertory Theater, and the Manhattan Theater Club and was a patron of the Roundabout Theater Company and Primary Stages. Norma was predeceased by her husband David in 1993, and is survived by her four children Collie L. Hutter (Charles), Leslie L. Beller (Alan), Wilson B. Langworthy (Claudia) and Keith C. Langworthy (Diane); seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In memory of Norma, donations can be made to the Roundabout Theatre Company, 231 West 39th Street, Suite 1200, New York, NY, 10018.

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Published by New York Times on Feb. 3, 2012.

Memories and Condolences
for NORMA LANGWORTHY

5 Entries

Dorrie Derge

February 17, 2012

Dear Collie, Leslie, Wilson, and K.C.,

I send my sympathies on the death of your amazing mother. My sister Nitie and I babysat for you four (mostly Wilsie and K.C.) at Beach Haven three summers from 1959-1961. We took care of you, cooked, cleaned, shopped (Nitie got to drive the pink Cadillac at age 17), etc., but we never felt like hired help. Your parents, particularly your mom, made us feel like family members. We got to watch some regattas and joined the family on the wonderful Fourth of July outings. We were even allowed to double up our days off (one per week) to take a long weekend at the family penthouse in NYC. Those summers were highpoints in our lives!

Happy Days

Donald Frey

February 17, 2012

ALAS! High on my 'retirement projects list' was my disire to find Norma and say hello. She hosted me several times in New York and I have a sweet picture of us together that I wanted to send her. If one of you gives me an email address I'll do that. What can one say after that? I just loved Norma, her spirit, laugh and outlandish clothes and am sorry it is too late to tell her that (again).

PS I just saw I could add it.

Don Frey (Institute of Nautical Archaeology-Bodrum) [email protected]

February 12, 2012

Norma was a great lady. I had the pleasure of her company on a number of theatre tours to London when I ran London Arts Discovery Tours. She also invited both myself and my partner to stay with her a number of times in NY and she was both a great hostess and a delight to be with. We will miss her terribly.

Howard Lichterman and Michael Ratcliffe

Leslie Thatcher

February 7, 2012

Dear Leslie, Collie,Wilson, Keith,

Your mom was always generous and kind to me: I shall never forget the lovely surprise of her supplying the flowers for Jean-Francois and my wedding or her regular hospitality in our last year of high school, Leslie. I hope her memory will be a blessing and a consolation for all of you.

David Young

February 5, 2012

Dear Collie, Leslie, Wilson, Keith, and Diane,

A note I simply never thought I would send. I would call Norma and always start with "Helllllllllooooooooooo Norma Langworthy" and she would respond with that amazing laugh and relply "Helllllooooooo David Young" and then we'd be off on a great phone call. There were the shows, the parties, the fund raisers but my fondest and most dear memories were the quieter ones. Whether we were in Iowa eating grease filled corn dogs or at 21 eating what she referred to as "the most overpriced burger in NYC", or just having a drink in her living room Norma and I simply enjoyed each other. One afternoon she was showing me press clippings and the one I loved most and always signed off on the phone with was from a play many many years ago which had the line "Norma Shea, a darn fine little actress!"

There was nothing "little about her. You know that. I am blessed to have known her and the family as well.

I saw her a few months ago and in her living room she shared gossips, concerns, caught me up on the family and theater. I can't believe I won't sit next to Paddington and continue these visits.

My love to you all!

David Youing

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