Sarah Mae Norbom's Obituary
Sally (Sarah) Norbom
Aug 25, 1940 – May 10, 2013
Sally passed away quietly at the OHSU Medical Center on May 10. Her husband, three children, Daughter-in-Law and Grandson were present to give her comfort. Her death was caused by Pulmonary Fibrosis, an auto-immune disease for which there is no known cause and no cure. Sally was born and raised in Oil City, PA. While attending Oil City High School she worked part time at the theater’s concession stand and participated in several school clubs and groups. She graduated on the Honor Roll in 1958. Following graduation she enrolled in the Nursing Program at Oil City Hospital, and received her RN license in l961. In the fall of 1961 she moved to San Francisco to marry her junior high sweetheart, Lowell Norbom, who was stationed there in the Navy. During Lowell’s 20 year Navy career Sally lived in San Francisco, Morocco, Seattle, San Diego, Long Beach, CA., Portland OR., and Alameda CA., in that order. Sally left nursing after the birth of her first child, choosing to be a full time wife and Mother instead. She always volunteered at her children’s schools. When her 3rd, and last, child turned 13 she went back to college to study bookkeeping, and then took a part time job as an accounting bookkeeper. When her husband retired from the Navy in 1980 they returned to Portland. Sally worked full time as an accounting bookkeeper, continued volunteer work, and became a foster mother for teenage girls for the next 10 years. In 1995 they moved to Deer Island. In 2000 Sally retired, and increased her volunteer activities. The following are some of the volunteer activities she participated in: 1. Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) both as a volunteer worker and as a member of the board. 2. Member of the St. Helens School Board. 3. Small Claims Mediator. 4. Working the Reception Desk at the Court House and organizing and scheduling the other volunteers. 5. Accounting work for CC Rider. 6. Board member for the Commission on Children and families. 7. Tutoring advanced math to Talented and Gifted students at Lewis and Clark elementary School. 8. She organized a program for the Queen and Princesses of the My Fair Lady Pageant to visit Senior Centers, and attended the programs at the Senior Centers to facilitate the activity. She felt that all the contestants in the My Fair Lady Pageant, because of their knowledge, experience and community involvement, had knowledge and experience, as well as enthusiasm for serving others, had valuable information to pass on to others. She also hoped that listening to these women, who had been selected by their peers for their volunteer service, might encourage others to volunteer as well. She felt strongly that volunteers helped strengthen and improve the community. She organized this program to allow them to do so. Sally was often recognized for her volunteer activities at local meetings and dinners that she attended. She was crowned Queen at the 2009 My Fair Lady Pageant. She received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Columbia County Commissioners in 2009. And she received the Oregon Governor’s Volunteer Award on September 12, 2008. Sally was recognized by the Chronicle on Jan 2, 2013 in an article titled Columbia County’s 10 Best. A quote she gave the newspaper reporter is revealing of her spirit and attitude. “I don’t want to leave this world knowing I didn’t give back. I don’t want to take, to be a user. I’m a giver and I enjoy it. Plus, I don’t have the right to complain about the lack of services if I’m not willing to give something.” In August 2012 increasing shortness of breath caused Sally to seek medical attention. She learned that she had Pulmonary Fibrosis. At that time she reluctantly decided to pass her volunteer duties on to others so that she could spend the time she had left with her family, which included her two small dogs, Skeeter and Dusty. Sally is survived by Lowell, her husband of 51 years, son Michael Norbom of Happy Valley, OR., daughter Susan Dernbach of Bend, OR., daughter Teresa Norbom of Deer Island, brother Charles Dolby of Oil City, PA. and sister Nancy Cowan of Portland, OR. And, not to be forgotten, her two little dogs, Skeeter and Dusty. Sally’s many friends will not be surprised to learn that Sally accepted the diagnosis of a fatal disease in the same way she lived her life: With courage and dignity, and without complaint.
Private family services-No public service to be held
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