KATHERINE ANNE NORBERG

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KATHERINE ANNE (WEST) NORBERG Surrounded by her beloved family, Katherine (Kay) Norberg died peacefully at home on September 16, 2016. Born on July 17, 1934, in Gladstone, to Rose Matilda (Tillie Porter) and Harvey West. Life on the farm during the Depression defined and shaped Kay's life - the West family farm. Her roots in that place run deep. Following her school years at Blake and Gladstone, Kay pursued nursing, doing her LPN training at St. Boniface Hospital, nursing in the Interlake and at the Winnipeg Municipal Hospital. She met and married Ron, focused on home life and children. Her work with parents, teachers and principals at Wolseley School enhanced school life over her many years of leadership. Along the way, she fit in UCW at Greenwood Church, lobbying city hall, peace marches and Pride parades and more. But there was always time for reading, and nurturing relationships with neighbours and friends. Mom loved skating and baseball, enjoying both into her 70's. She loved sunny days in every season, firmly believing many of life's problems are solved by just being outside, usually for a brisk walk. She filled our home and our lives with light, colour and laughter and showed us, by example, how to live with meaning and purpose. Adding spouses and grandchildren meant more family at the table, birthdays to celebrate, reasons to gather. These were happy, joyful years for Mom and for us. Kay was at the heart of it all, gathering us around her, to the end and beyond. She is survived by her children (and partners): Alison, Garth (Michele), Sherryl (Mario Igniti), Roger (Robert Fairbairn), Andrea (Jose Pereira), and Cynthia (Daniel DeSousa); "Grandma Kay" is also survived by her grandchildren: Janelle (Kenny) and Lauren; Zachary, Travis, and Kira; Amanda and Ryan; Serena and Ericka; her siblings: Gwen Wishart, Norman West and Margaret West; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families; and her faithful friends over many long years, especially Del and Leanne. She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Elaine, and her former husband Ronald. We acknowledge and thank care providers who also gathered around Kay: her Home Care workers, especially Joy, Barb, Dee, Laura, Gloria, Riza, Marissa, Debbie, and Juliet; Gerda, Dawn and Clarke of Klinic Community Health Centre; and her massage therapist Craig. Resources of WRHA Home Palliative Care Program helped us immensely. So many contributed to enhancing Mom's quality of life, every day, to her last - our gratitude is too deep for words. A celebration of Kay's life will be held at Westworth United Church, 1750 Grosvenor Avenue, at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 22, 2016, the Rev. Tim Crouch officiating. The family would appreciate donations in Kay's memory be made to the Alzheimer's Society of MB, 10-120 Donald Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C 9Z9 or the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation, 1155 Notre Dame Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3G1. "...we are the land we sing, we are the prayers we bring, to these wide miles of morning..." - Carolyn McDade NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 22, 2016