Norma Cecelia Haffey Main Cheves Covey, beloved Mother, Aunt, Grandmother, Great and Great Great Grandmother, passed away peacefully at Mi Casa Nursing Center, Mesa, Arizona, on July 13, 2019, at the age of 90 years after 7 years of failing health. Special thanks to the wonderful caregivers at Royal Palm Adult Care Home, who also provided invaluable care to Mom for many years.
Visitation is at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, July 27, 2019, prior to funeral services. Funeral services will follow at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Mesa, Arizona, 1249 S 48th St, Mesa, Arizona 85206. She will be interred at the Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery.
Norma Covey was wonderfully devoted to her 8 children and is survived by one son and 3 daughters, Lorn Main and his wife Olga of Mesa, Arizona; Cecilia “Chris” Gardner and her husband Fred, of Mesa, Arizona; Sandra Pahssen and her husband Harry, of Phoenix, Arizona; and Lily Reed of West Allis, Wisconsin.
Norma Covey was a loving Grandmother to 16 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and one great great granddaughter. She is survived by Lorn Main’s children Celeste Froehlich and her husband Aaron with their sons David and Elijah, and Simone Kjolsrud and her husband Matt with their daughter, as well as Laura Phillips and her husband Joe with their children Nathan and Harper. Also her late son Donald’s daughters Andrea and Carolyn Main. Also survived by Cecilia “Chris’s’” children Ivana “Ivy” Bonhorst and her husband Chris with their children Sierra Davis (married to Zachary), Brooke, Logan and Colter, as well as Emily Keith and her husband Greg with their daughter Emma, and Stacey Thomas with her husband Douglas with their sons Arthur Joseph and Scott, as well as Shawn Gardner, and Shannon Gardner with her daughters Eleanor and Amelia Saltmarsh. Sandra’s children Tammy Valdez and her husband Al, John Rose, as well as Julie Pal and her husband Volt Migrino with their daughter Shelby Pal. Norma is also survived by her late daughter Linda’s son John Harmon, Jr. She has one great great granddaughter whom she met just last Christmas from Ivy’s daughter Sierra Davis and her husband Zachary, named Brydlynne Whitmire Davis. She was also an Aunt to numerous nieces and nephews.
Norma Covey was faithfully married for over 35 years, and was preceded in death by her husband of 17 years, Elmer Lou Main; divorced husband of 10 years, Eugene Cheves; and husband of 8 years, Darrell L. Covey. Also preceded in death by 3 sons and one daughter: William, Donald and Louis Main, and Linda who was married to John Harmon, Sr. (living). Norma was preceded in death by two grandchildren: Cecilia “Chris’s” son Arthur E. Gardner and Donald’s daughter, Katie Kurkowski, who was married to Tim (living). She was also preceded in death by three brothers: Harold Haffey (wife Dorothy), James Haffey (wife Irene), and Bernard Haffey (wife Assta Marie); and one sister, Leora Marie Eman (husband Harley).
Norma Covey was born September 9, 1928, in Oxford, Nebraska where the family lived on a farm in the New Era Election Precinct, Furnas County, Nebraska. She was the second daughter and 5th child of the late Anna Bertha Hayes Haffey and John Bernard Haffey. She was a strong, determined and fiercely independent woman. Born with spina bifida, a birth defect in her spine, Norma had surgery and was in a full body cast at an early age up until she was 18 months old, yet this barely affected her. She told stories of growing up on the farm, and the many chores she was left to do while the siblings were away. She was raised a member of Irish Catholic Church and wasn’t slowed by her birth defect one bit, even bragging about being a cheerleader in high school. She had a high school sweetheart, Darrell Covey, who joined the Navy.
Norma’s ambitious spirit then led her to Kearney State Teacher’s College where she earned her teaching certificate at age 16, and was a schoolteacher in a one room schoolhouse in Furnas County, Nebraska. In January of 1946 at age 17, Norma lied about her age and married Elmer L Main following his discharge from the Army in WWII. Norma and her husband were busy raising their family when in 1961 a tragic accident occurred at Elmer’s Phoenix workplace, taking his life. He’d dreamed shortly before that he’d been killed hunting in a snowstorm, and Elmer died after a large bale of cotton collapsed on him. Norma doggedly continued on raising her children, and married Eugene Cheves a few years after Elmer’s passing. They divorced after 10 years of marriage. Meanwhile, Norma’s high school sweetheart, Darrell Covey’s wife passed away following their 50 year marriage. Around 1995, Darrell tracked down his former sweetheart who had been living in Phoenix, Arizona, and married her. Together they became “snowbirds,” travelling seasonally to live and visit his family in Oregon. They had 8 pleasant years together before he passed on September 6, 2003.
Norma Covey had a giant heart, and opened up her home to children and grandchildren alike, especially if they were having a rough time. While Norma and Elmer Main were living on a farm in Helena, Montana during their early years of marriage, they took in Elmer’s younger brother, William Main, and legally adopted him as their son. Shortly thereafter, William went to live with his aunt and uncle. Later in life, Norma also took in one of her sons, Louis Main, who subsequently passed away from being attacked in the neighborhood. Some of her grandchildren also stayed in her home while she made many seasonal trips back to Oregon with her sweetheart Darrell. Grandma Norma was always big on family, and invited all of her extended family to an annual Christmas Eve celebration. This tradition has continued on through the years, and has kept much of the family together.
In addition to helping her children and grandchildren grow, Norma Covey had a real green thumb. Despite living in the desert, she nurtured many plants at home. While “snowbirding” to Oregon, she would often check up on her plants back home, to make sure they were well cared for. Her grandson John Rose also honored her love of plants by creating a flower garden in both her front and back lawns. She loved red roses, and made sure that her daughters knew they were her favorite if they ever brought her a different kind of flower. She was also a bookkeeper for her husband’s business and then worked at a call center doing research. Norma sold Avon Cosmetics for about 20 years, and said this was her favorite job because of her love for people and celebrating together with her daughter Chris. She also enjoyed reading and crocheting and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and one great great granddaughter.
Her family and friends will miss her sparkling crystal blue eyes, her sweet, kind smile and clever sense of humor every day. In remembrance of Norma Covey, please extend an act of kindness to a friend, neighbor, stranger, or estranged family member.
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