Norma Jean Stevens
October 18, 1930 ~ June 17, 2017
Norma Jean Stevens, of McLean, VA passed away on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Norma Jean Stevens was the daughter of Alice Angel of New York City, NY and Ernest Payne Duncan of Cordell and Chickasha, OK. She was born and grew up on Edendale Place, Los Angeles, CA. Her mother was a restaurant manager and pie maker. Her father started out as a typesetter and then served in the U.S. Army during World War I in France. Norma’s brother and maternal uncle were policemen in the LAPD and her maternal grandfather was a policeman in the NYPD. Her maternal great-grandfather, William Angel served in the Union Army from New York City in the Civil War.
From age three to eighteen, Norma studied tap dance. She attended a grade school with child movie stars. Her best friend in grade school was Bobs Watson who played “Pee Wee” in the movie Men of Boys Town. When she was ten years old she was out in her front yard when the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy were making movies on the steep hill where she lived, and they told her to move her kite so that the kite string wouldn’t get into the camera shot.
When she turned eighteen, WWII had ended and the love of her life, Fire Controlman, Richard Stevens, disembarked the USS Intrepid after having fought in ten battles at sea. They got married on October 14, 1949 and spent the rest of their lives together. In their 20s, they worked together as fire lookouts in Bend, OR. After Richard finished graduate school at the University of Chicago they moved several times and had three children. In Seattle, Norma worked at the Post Exchange in retail sales and as the Max Factor make-up artist. Later, when they moved to Northern Virginia, Norma worked at the Post Exchange at Ft. Myer where she did all of the public address system announcements and worked also in retail sales and as the manager’s secretary. She retired from the Post Exchange in 1985. In her retirement she took piano lessons for twenty-five years.
Norma is survived by her husband of 68 years, Richard Gordon Stevens (né Edward Gordon Solomon), their three children, Dennis Gordon Stevens (Bonnie), Laura Louise Balisky (Todd), Patricia Jean Stevens (Richard); grandchildren, great-grandchildren; a sister and sister-in-law; nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Norma was a life-long bird watcher. Donations in her memory may be made to the National Audubon Society. Funeral Services will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday August 8 at 9:00 a.m. Please assemble at the administration building by 8:30 a.m. Online condolences and fond memories of Norma Jean may be offered to the family at www.moneyandking.com
From age three to eighteen, Norma studied tap dance. She attended a grade school with child movie stars. Her best friend in grade school was Bobs Watson who played “Pee Wee” in the movie Men of Boys Town. When she was ten years old she was out in her front yard when the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy were making movies on the steep hill where she lived, and they told her to move her kite so that the kite string wouldn’t get into the camera shot.
When she turned eighteen, WWII had ended and the love of her life, Fire Controlman, Richard Stevens, disembarked the USS Intrepid after having fought in ten battles at sea. They got married on October 14, 1949 and spent the rest of their lives together. In their 20s, they worked together as fire lookouts in Bend, OR. After Richard finished graduate school at the University of Chicago they moved several times and had three children. In Seattle, Norma worked at the Post Exchange in retail sales and as the Max Factor make-up artist. Later, when they moved to Northern Virginia, Norma worked at the Post Exchange at Ft. Myer where she did all of the public address system announcements and worked also in retail sales and as the manager’s secretary. She retired from the Post Exchange in 1985. In her retirement she took piano lessons for twenty-five years.
Norma is survived by her husband of 68 years, Richard Gordon Stevens (né Edward Gordon Solomon), their three children, Dennis Gordon Stevens (Bonnie), Laura Louise Balisky (Todd), Patricia Jean Stevens (Richard); grandchildren, great-grandchildren; a sister and sister-in-law; nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Norma was a life-long bird watcher. Donations in her memory may be made to the National Audubon Society. Funeral Services will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday August 8 at 9:00 a.m. Please assemble at the administration building by 8:30 a.m. Online condolences and fond memories of Norma Jean may be offered to the family at www.moneyandking.com
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I first met Aunt Norma in 1956 when my parents , sister and I traveled to Chicago for her husband Dick’s Master’s degree graduation from the University of Chicago. Dick was my mother, Evelyn’s kid brother.
Because of the long distances that separated us — my parents and sister and I lived in Puerto Rico until 1959 when mom, sister and I moved to Berkeley CA — we didn’t get to see Uncle Dick and Aunt Norma often. But I always remember her as a wonderful wife, mother and aunt.
It wasn’t until now , almost a year after her passing, that I knew of her death from her son, Dennis, and that is why I am adding my thoughts this late. Now, we are making plans to attend Uncle Dick’s funeral where he will be buried alongside his wife at Arlington National Cemetery on June 11.