Norma Wuest

Norma Wuest was born on December 20, 1926 in Rainier, Oregon, to Grace Lucille Purchase and Ralph James Morrison, the second of two daughters, and made her transition on September 22, 2010 in Santa Rosa, California. Preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, John H. Wuest, M.D. She is survived by her daughters: Diana Rose of Santa Rosa, Nancy (Arthur) Rosenthal of Sebastopol, Barbara Wuest of Sherwood, OR, and Jan (Mickey) Rabinovitz of Santa Rosa; grandchildren: Willow, Mira and Arianna Rosenthal, Nic Bellingham, Christina and Angelina Calvo; grandson in law Greg Domber; sister in law Barbara Thompson and sons Peter, Matthew and John Thompson; niece, Chellie Knight; and her great granddaughter, Matilda Domber. Norma went to nurse's training at Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA, where she was in the Cadet Nurse Corp. for three years. It was there, during her senior year, that she met John Henry Wuest and they married in 1949 in Oakland at the Episcopal Church on Lake Merritt. Her accomplishments were many and varied. She played the cello in the Tacoma Symphony; was President of a YMCA girl's group; President of the Women's Medical Society Auxiliary in Santa Rosa, where she created Meals on Wheels and Babysitting Training; President of the Santa Rosa Neptune's Swim Team and a National Swimming Referee. She also sang alto in the Presbyterian Church Choir, and when living in Phoenix, Arizona she was a library volunteer in one of the elementary schools. Norma worked with her husband at their Internal Medicine practice in Santa Rosa for 32 years until Jack's death on Oct. 12, 1989. She loved holidays, especially Christmas, and was a master at creating celebrations. She had impeccable taste and her artistry was displayed spectacularly every year in her Christmas tree. Her first and foremost decorating question when moving into a new home was, "Where will the Christmas tree go?" She was interested in sewing, knitting, crocheting, interior design, reading, painting, carpentry, puzzles, sports (especially baseball, football, swimming and the Olympics) and People! Her greatest love, besides her husband Jack and four daughters, was gardening. Working with her flowers was her form of meditation. Norma Jean Wuest is interred at Santa Rosa Memorial Park. There will be a Celebration of Life Service held on October 10, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Avenue. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Meals on Wheels , c/o Council on Aging, 30 Kiwana Springs Road, Santa Rosa, California 95404, SANTA ROSA MORTUARY EGGEN & LANCE CHAPEL, 545-3747