Norma Tawney

TAWNEY, Norma J.—Age 91 years, peacefully entered into rest on Friday, November 12th surrounded by her loving family in Santa Rosa. Preceded in death by her husband Gordon Tawney of 54 years. Mother of seven Gary (Denita) Tawney of NV, Jeffrey (Lynda) Tawney of Sebastopol, Steve (Trudy) Tawney of Santa Rosa, Dave (Barbara) Tawney of MS., Ray (Theresa) Tawney, of NV, Sheila (Thomas) Pearson and Shirley Tawney both of Santa Rosa. Cherished Grandmother of 15 and adored Great Grandmother of 22. Norma is also survived by her sister Joyce Bianculli of Clovis, brother Dennis (Jan) Mitchell of England, and sister-in-law Roberta (Bernie) Merchen of Lakeport along with numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and great grand nieces and nephews and cousins in US, Canada, England, and New Zealand. Her brother Ronald Mitchell (England) preceded her in death. Norma was born in Deptford, England Jan 7, 1930, to Sydney P. and May L. Mitchell. She grew up in Welling, Kent. In her youth when WWII came, she and her brother were among the many younger children who were evacuated out of the Greater London area for safety, and they spent 3 years away from their family with other families in the countryside. Later she worked as a barrow girl selling tomatoes and as a photographer’s assistant to the well-known Orchestra Leader Mantovani until her mid-teens. She also later worked as a candy striper in the local hospital and a children’s educational assistant at the local school. She traveled on the Queen Mary to the U.S. to visit her sister in Los Banos, CA in January 1950 who had come to the U.S. as a war bride in 1946. Norma met her husband to be on May Day 1952 in Dos Palos, CA. They later married on Nov 29, 1952. After US Air Force military travel with her husband, they returned with their eldest son in 1955 to settle and raise their growing family in Santa Rosa, CA. In 1962 she was a member of The Better Half Club putting on many holiday events and visiting and distributing small gifts made by the group to patients at local hospitals and nursing facilities/sanitariums. During the 1970’s Norma was very active in the community and involved with most events with her children and their schools going from active volunteer to VP and then President of the PTA at Luther Burbank Elementary School. She supported and planned many activities, fairs, bake sales, events, and holiday programs. She was a helpful fundraiser to many charities including Skate-a-Thons for Muscular Dystrophy at the Santa Rosa Roller Palace in the early to mid 70’s where she was a long-time competing member in Couples Dance. When her children were grown, she worked as a nurse’s aide in a local residential care home, a waitress at the Elks Lodge, a receptionist/salesperson at both a local tile store and pool center. She stopped working later in life to help her sister care for their aging parents. She then learned cake baking/decorating from Nancy’s Fancy’s and began a new adventure of creating birthday, wedding and special event cakes for her friends and family. By then she was also enjoying her many grandchildren and great grandchildren and also became an adoptive grandmother to many. Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on Saturday, November 27, 2021, at 10:00AM held at Lafferty & Smith Colonial Chapel (4321 Sonoma Hwy-Santa Rosa 95409). Norma’s wishes were to be cremated and have her and her late husband’s remains scattered off the Coast of Bodega Bay. There will also be a small private interment at Santa Rosa Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be directed to Norma’s favorite charities which included Shriner’s Hospital, St. Jude's Hospital, March of Dimes and Toys for Tots.