Norma J. Lienkaemper

1940 - 2015

Norma J. Lienkaemper, 75, of Ontario, Oregon, died November 13, 2015 of natural causes. She was born in Sterling, Colorado on February 19, 1940 to Deward & Emma Benedict.
Her family moved to Nyssa in 1944, where Norma was raised on a farm and graduated from high school in 1958. After attending Pacific Lutheran College for 2 years, she returned to Nyssa where she met and married John Lienkaemper on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960. They moved to San Francisco shortly after where John attended the College of Mortuary Science. John & Norma returned to Ontario in 1962, where they went into the family business, Lienkaemper Chapel, with John's dad Bert. After Bert's death in 1981, Norma went to work full-time at the funeral home, until Lienkaemper Chapel was sold in 1989. Norma and John then semi-retired, enjoying traveling with friends and spending time at their cabin at Wallowa Lake.
Family and friends will always remember Norma as an avid gardener, incredible cook, loving mother and grandmother. Spending time and spoiling her granddaughters was one of her greatest pleasures. She was generous beyond measure and will be greatly missed by her family, friends, Beta Sigma Phi sisters and the congregation at St. Paul Lutheran Church where she was a member since its inception in 1964.
Norma is survived by her daughter, Diane Lienkaemper; her daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Ken Graton; granddaughters, Meggan, Sierra and Emma Graton; sister, Doris Benedict; brother & sister-in-law, Jim and Linda Benedict.
Services will be held Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 11am at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ontario and burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorials be made to Project Dove in Ontario, Oregon or the Boise Rescue Mission, in care of Lienkaemper Chapel, PO Box 970 Ontario, Or. 97914, Charity's dear to Norma's heart. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lienkaemper-thomason.