Norma Smrcina
Norma R. Smrcina, 84, of Waukon died Friday, October 26, 2018 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services were held Monday, October 29 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Inurnment was at Calvary Cemetery, Prairie du Chien, WI.
Norma Rita Smrcina was born April 5, 1934 in Bloomington, WI, the daughter of Henry and Mary (Errthum) Crubel. She grew up in Bloomington and attended the Catholic school through the eighth grade, at which point she was needed at home to help take care of her five brothers. Norma also worked in Prairie du Chien, WI as a telephone operator.
April 9, 1953, she married George Henry Smrcina at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bloomington, WI. While George was in the military, the couple lived in Virginia and then returned to Prairie du Chien, WI following his discharge in 1954, where Norma worked at the 3M factory until 1965. Due to George’s job, they moved to Sparta, WI for a few years before coming to Waukon in 1969. While in Waukon, Norma worked for Northern Engraving.
She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon and for several years helped with the St. Pat’s school lunches. She enjoyed playing cards, especially euchre and ‘May I’, bowling, and dancing, whether to the Toe Tappers or with friends at a Sunday night get-together. She liked to crochet, cross stitch and do needlepoint. Norma loved baking sweets and never could make just one small batch of cookies. A big highlight of her life that she treasured for a long time was being able to take a hot air balloon ride with George.
Norma is survived by her children: Dick (Susan) of Harpers Ferry, Randy (Linda) of Fremont, NE and Becky Hamm of Waukon; 10 grandchildren: Kali (Matt) Smith, Shana Smrcina, JoHanna (Joey Schlachtenhaufen) Smrcina, Jacob Smrcina, Lindsey (Jason) Chicoine, Joshua Smrcina, Zach Smrcina, Jason Hamm, Jana (Eric) Troendle and Jerrod (Sara) Hamm; 10 great-grandchildren: Aurora Smith, Mariah Andregg, Chelsea and Madelyn Hamm, Ethan Opitz, Haley and Savanna Hamm, and Kylie, Thomas and Tanner Troendle; three brothers: Milo (Mary Alice) and LaVerne (Mary Ann) Crubel, both of Bloomington, WI, and Roger “Pep” (Ruth) Crubel of Topeka, KS; and two sisters-in-law: Carolyn and Ruth Crubel, both of Bloomington, WI.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George, in 2015; an infant son, Russell; a son-in-law, Greg Hamm; and two brothers, Art and Harold Crubel.
Honorary casketbearers were Norma’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
