Norma June Elwell

1940 - 2020

Norma June (McCormack) Elwell passed peacefully, surrounded by family in her home after a sudden illness on Thursday, November 5, 2020.
Norma June (McCormack) Elwell was born in Warrensburg, Missouri, June 30, 1940, to Forest Ora McCormack and Alma Orine (Bird) McCormack. Norma's nickname as a child was "No-No." she was typically a very good little girl and no-no was all it took to correct her. She was raised on a farm where she was an only child most of the time.
Some of her first memories were going to the cornfield with Aunt Lula and Uncle Earl Joy when she was 2 or 3 years old. She also recalled her Uncle Al visiting and playing with her. He pretended he died and fell on the floor with his mouth wide open; she dropped the dishrag in his open mouth. Norma also remembered the many times her Uncle Bill would visit. He was only four years older so he was like an older brother. Once he ate some treated corn seed her Dad had for planting and he about died.
Norma loved the team of horses, Tommie and Richard. She wanted to ride a horse when her father would come in from the fields at the end of the day with tired horses he would put her up on one and plow the potato patch, so that is how she got to ride a horse.
Norma attended Walker School for eight years but did not graduate as they moved to town two months before the end of school. She went on to attend and graduate from Warrensburg High School in 1958. After graduation, she worked for Town and Country Shoe Factory until she started college at Central Missouri State University and graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Norma met Charles Otis Elwell on a blind date where he gave her a ride on his 1947 Harley. They married March 28, 1959, in Miami, Oklahoma. After a year or so, they were able to purchase some land and fulfill Charles' dream of owning a farm and raising cattle. They moved into the old Victory Schoolhouse, in rural northeast Warrensburg and remodeled it into a two-bedroom home. Norma was a stay at home wife and mother while Charles worked as a union electrician. She kept the home fires burning, literally as they always burned wood in the stove for heat. She checked the cattle every day and as needed, fixed fences, doctored calves, slopped hogs, grew a large garden and all the other hundred different things that needed doing on a farm. They also fostered another daughter, Barbara, for a few months until she returned to her mother's care. Barbara kept in touch until her death in 2016.
Norma would sew for her girls and after they grew up she renewed her interest in sewing and took up quilting; making baby blankets for the grandbabies as they came along.
She was a member of Loyal Neighbors for many years serving as president much of the time. When her daughters were young, she was instrumental in starting a 4-H Club and helped lead clothing and cooking projects.
Charles suffered a stroke, following open heart surgery in December 2010. They did not return to the farm but moved into their smaller place closer to town. She was his caregiver until his passing on Christmas 2016. They were married 57 years!
Norma was a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church for many years until she began attending Johnson County Cowboy Church in 2016. She started a book box where she shared free books for children and adults. She was also a member of the Quilting Fellowship that made quilts for people of the church suffering from cancer or illnesses. She also provided quiet and soft toys for the youngest attendees of church.
She is survived by her children, Jeanie and husband Larry Rambo of Elkland; Suzanne McCormack of Joseph, Oregon; Melissa and husband Juan Garza of Warrensburg; eight grandchildren; Brandon Bambo and wife Lisa; Rachel Ockwell; Christine Susa and husband Garrett; Jessica Prust and husband Josh; Devon Bowder; Caleb Garza and wife Desiree; Montana Garcia and husband Omar; and Dominic Garza; and nineteen great-grandchildren, two brothers, Thomas McCormack and David McCormack and wife Christina of Warrensburg. She is preceded in death by an infant sister, Nancy Ann McCormack; her parents, Forest O. McCormack and Alma O. Bird McCormack Adams; foster daughter Barbara Morrow and infant great-grandchild and her beloved husband Charles O. Elwell.
Norma will be remembered as a lover of animals, an extremely hard worker, best mama, best grandma, best great-grandma and the best sister and daughter.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 9, 2020, at the Johnson County Cowboy Church followed by a private committal service at Warrensburg Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The family received friends from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, November 8, 2020, at Williams Funeral Chapel in Warrensburg.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the JC Cowboy Church or Show-Me Christian Youth Home at La Monte.