Norma Rita Gendzwill

Norma Gendzwill was born in St .John New Brunswick Dec 3, 1933. She was adopted by an elderly couple, Mary and William Couture at age 2 in Bathurst, New Brunswick. Norma attended French school in Bathurst walking 2 miles each way every day, then back again to the ice rink to skate in the evening. When her adoptive parents died, her step-sister Gertrude cared for her. After high school she enrolled in nurses training at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Bathurst, graduating in 1957. In 1956 she met Don Gendzwill, a Michigan Tech mining school engineering student who had a summer job with a mining company in New Brunswick. They attended dances and beach parties on weekends when off work. For the next 3 years they maintained contact with letters and telephone calls. Her friend Carol Calnan worked for New Brunswick Telephone and arranged free long-distance calls after midnight for Norma and Don. In 1958 Norma traveled from Bathurst to attend the Michigan Tech Snow-Ball where they got engaged. They married on Aug 15, 1959 in the old stone church in Bathurst. Don was hired by Cominco, a large Canadian mining company who transferred them to Port Arthur, Ontario. Norma got a nursing job with Port Arthur General Hospital. In 1961 Cominco transferred them to Montreal. Neil was born in 1961 and Anne in 1963, both born in Montreal. In March 1963 they moved to Saskatoon for Don to join the Saskatchewan Research Council and attend the University of Saskatchewan Graduate School. Norma’s 3rd and 4th children were born in Saskatoon: Patricia in 1964 and Nancy in 1967 Canada’s Centennial Year. As the children grew, Norma found time to nurse at Parkridge Center, a care home where she worked casual for 10 years. In 1993 she started to volunteer at St. Anne’s Care Home where she was greatly appreciated for 20 years. In 1971 with a growing young family, they moved to a 4 bedroom house on Sparling Crescent, Saskatoon, and Don joined the faculty in the Department of Geological Sciences. Norma hosted many parties in the Sparling Crescent house for neighbors, friends, University people and church groups. Many remember her Grey Cup football parties. Norma sang in the Holy Spirit Church Choir for many years. She belonged to a bridge club, played golf in the summer, skied in winter, square-danced, and bowled, having fun. Norma was a people-person who loved to talk. She kept track of everyone’s birthday and anniversary and remembered their troublesome illnesses and injuries. When asked for medical advice she would caution that she is not a doctor. Her friendly attitude won her a lot of friends. There was a lot of travel. Trips to Michigan every summer to visit family. Business trips to many convention cities in USA and Canada, South Africa, Russia. Holiday cruises and bus trips to tourist attractions in USA and Canada, Mexico, South America, Hawaii, Caribbean, Europe, Panama. In 2021 Norma and Don moved to a condominium with few stairs. Norma died from heart attack at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Nov 9, 2023. Norma will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her husband Don Gendzwill and children Neil Gendzwill (Donnagail Knipe), Anne Detillieux (Paul), Pat McMartin (Ed), and Nancy Lautner; by her grandchildren Amanda Detillieux (Gerald Morin), Adam Detillieux (Chelsea O'Leary), Kaylyne Derksen (Dean), Emy Gendzwill, Thomas Gendzwill (Quin Von Kuster), Katie McMartin, Jared McMartin, Alessya Lautner, Asher Lautner and their father Greg Lautner. She was predeceased by her parents Mary and William Couture and her sister Gertrude. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church (114 Kingsmere Place, Saskatoon). Rite of Committal will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.