Norma Bessie Terhaar

Norma Terhaar

Sept. 12, 1929 — June 10, 2013

Norma B. McCann Terhaar, 83, died
Monday, June 10, 2013, in Caldwell, Idaho.
Norma was born Sept. 12, 1929, in
St. Louis, Mo., to Henry and Dora McCann.

Viewing will be Friday June 14, 2013, from 5 p.m. to 7
p.m. at Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder,
Walla Walla. A graveside service will be held Saturday,
June 15, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. at Mountain View
Cemetery with Rev. David Bruce officiating. A memorial
service will follow at 1 p.m. in the Wheatland Village
conference room on the second floor.
At six months of age, Norma moved west with the
family and settled in Pendleton. Later they moved to
Milton-Freewater where Norma attended school. She
graduated from McLoughlin High School in 1947 and
was Pea Festival Queen the same year.
After high school, Norma worked in the office of Roger’s
Canning Co. in Milton-Freewater, and later for
Washington Machinery in Walla Walla.
In the fall of 1950, Norma married Paul J. Terhaar.
In 1955 their son, Mike, was born, and their daughter,
Jane, was born in 1959. Norma was a homemaker
while her children were young and then began working
for the Walla Walla School District. While working
during the day, she attended the Community College
in the evenings and eventually earned her associates
degree. She was a secretary at both Garrison and Pioneer
junior high schools and she finished her working
career at the school district’s Plant Facilities office.
Norma and her family loved camping and traveling to
the Oregon coast. In her retirement years she enjoyed
trips to the southern states with her son, Mike, and
daughter-in-law, Katie, and traveling with her friends
to the New England states to see the fall colors and to
New York City, Alaska, England, Ireland and Wales.
She was always available and delighted to come to
Caldwell to babysit her grandchildren, Nick and Emily.
She lived for 55 years in the home that she and Paul
built until she moved to Wheatland Village 2 1/2 half
years ago. She was happy to call it home, and she loved
her “little apartment.”
Norma was always a willing Cub Scout den mother, a
member of Chapter FT of PEO, the Washington State
School Retirees Assoc., The Travel Club and the Red
Hat Society. She thoroughly enjoyed her Wednesday
Lunch Bunch and the birthday lunch group.
She had a kind and loving heart for animals and dearly
loved her cat, Gypsy.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents; her husband,
Paul; and many half brothers and sisters. She is
survived by her son, Mike Terhaar, his wife Katie, and
their son, Gary, all of Florida; daughter Jane Groff, her
husband Mike, and their children Nick and Emily, and
Emily’s husband, Christopher Hawkins, all of Idaho.
Norma’s family would like to thank her loving and
loyal friends whom were so special in her life, and especially
for the support given in the last few months.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue
Mountain Humane Society through the funeral home.
Friends and family are invited to sign the online guest
book at www.herringgroseclose.com.