Norma Elaine Draper Anderson Wocknitz, age 86, passed away peacefully Jan. 26, 2017 in Murray, Salt Lake, Utah.
She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died from conditions incident to aging. She was born May 5, 1930 in East Ely, White Pine, Nevada to Roswell Newton and Ada Adell Draper.
The family moved to Mt. Pleasant when she was three. She had one sister, Joyce Draper (David) Mumford. Norma married Blake Jensen Anderson of Fairview, Sanpete, Utah on July 18, 1948 in the Manti Temple. Together they had four children – Rian Blake (Jane) Anderson, Susan Adell (Roger) Dixon, Eris Elaine Cloward, and Karen Marie (Bruce) Despain. Blake was a sheep rancher, so farming and herding sheep became her life.
After Blake passed away in 1978, Norma was a widow until she married William Wocknitz on May 16, 1987. At this time she willingly assumed the role of wife, mother and grandmother for another family. Willie also had one son, Robert (Joanne) Wocknitz, and three daughters, Shirley (Vic) Boychuk, Donna (Lawrence) Landy, and Carol (Eugene) Dahl. Willie was a wheat farmer from Magrath, Alberta, Canada.
The lifestyle wasn’t entirely alien to Norma, but farming on the Canadian plains was on a much grander scale than it had been in Sanpete County. The tractors and implements they used couldn’t even turn around in the fields she was used to. During her life together with Willie, they divided their time between the two families, spending their summers in Canada and winters in Fairview.
Norma was the last of her generation. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, her sister, two step-sisters, five step-brothers, one daughter-in-law, one step-son and one grandson. She is survived by her four children, three step-daughters, 17 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, 15 step-grandchildren and a multitude of step-great-grandchildren.
Norma was active in the LDS church all her life and served continually throughout her life. Her church callings included Primary President, Young Women’s President, Stake Young Women’s President and Relief Society President. She also served two Church missions.
Norma was an accomplished homemaker. She loved cooking, canning, gardening, sewing and keeping her home clean and free of clutter. She loved her families and friends dearly. They always took center stage in her life. She was always a kind, sweet woman, a friend to all, always putting other’s needs first. She wore her life out in the service of others. She was loved by all who knew her and will be sorely missed.
Viewings are 6-8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 3, at the Rasmussen Mortuary, 96 North 100 West, Mt. Pleasant, Utah and from 10-11:30 at the church, prior to services on Saturday.
Funeral services are at noon Saturday, Feb. 4 at LDS 2nd & 3rd Ward Chapel, 131 East 100 North, Fairview, Utah. Interment in the Fairview City Cemetery. Online condolence rasmussenmortuary.com.
