Norma McCain

1928 - 2022

Norma McCain of Lafayette passed away peacefully on November 3rd 2022 after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer's. Norma was born on November 20th 1928 in North Dakota to John & Rosa Korus, and grew up as the youngest child on a farm in Denhoff, North Dakota with her 10 older siblings. Always a bright student and quick learner, Norma graduated from Goodrich High School, ND and then Concordia College, MN. Quickly after graduation, Norma started teaching in Minnesota and then moved to Denver, Colorado to work as a secretary at Continental Oil. After a few years, Norma and her roommates adventurously moved to Oakland, CA. Norma was hired as a business teacher at Miramonte High School in the late fifties, where she would meet her husband, Otis McCain, also a teacher. Norma stopped working to raise her two children but always kept active and motivated with side gigs like selling Tupperware and Jafra cosmetics, or by exercising, fishing and hunting, voracious reading, bible study, genealogy research, sewing or crocheting afghans, caring for dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, cockatiels, etc. You name it, Norma likely tried it and excelled at it. After her kids were older, Norma taught at Heald Business College and then switched to teaching at Brentwood High School until she retired in the 1990s. Norma was known for her cooking. Her signature dishes involved wild game (deer, elk, boar, duck, pheasant), fish or abalone, which were the best most people tried. She could whip up something out of nothing whether it was a New Joe Special or a peach kuchen. Norma loved fishing and was renowned for always catching both the most fish and the biggest fish! A devout Lutheran, Norma dedicated many hours to her church, Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lafayette, and volunteered often to help others. In her later years, she loved her morning coffee with the crossword and playing cards in the afternoon. She was an incredible "Oma" to her two granddaughters and drove to Santa Cruz every two weeks to care for them for many years. Norma was quiet, thoughtful, organized, and left the center of attention to her ham of a husband. Her unique spirit will live on in our multitude of memories of her deeply caring nature, her unwavering strength, her thoughtfulness, her gentle spirit, and her smart industriousness. Norma only outlived her husband of 56 years by 17 days; his call to be together again was just too strong. She is survived by her son Brian (wife Christy), daughter Christy (husband Tommy), granddaughters Emma & Maya, and many nieces, nephews and friends who will miss her terribly each and every day. A joint Celebration of Life with her husband will be held at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Center at 2-6 pm on 14th of January 2023. All individuals whose lives she touched are welcome, please rsvp asap at https://OtisMcCain.rsvpify.com. Norma McCain, you will forever be in our hearts.