Norma Chen Landry

NORMA CHEN LANDRY, of Houston, age 71, ended her battle with cancer on September 29, 2012, in her home with family by her side. Norma was born one of four children on May 21, 1941 in Manhattan, New York to Jean Tsai Chen and Henry C. Chen, Ph.D. who came here from Canton, China. She was crowned Houston's First Miss Chinese New Year on February 16, 1958 in the Crystal Ballroom of the Rice Hotel. She was a 1959 graduate of Jesse H. Jones High School. She was an Art Editor and received an Art Scholarship from Jesse H. Jones High School. She was also a Senior High Beauty Runner-up at Jesse H. Jones High School. She attended The John Robert Powers School of Modeling and was a Director of the Miss Universe Pageant for the Pasadena Region on March 19, 1964. In 1964 she graduated from Continental Airlines' Hostess training school at Los Angeles International Airport. She was assigned to Los Angeles, California and flew on the Los Angeles-Houston and Los Angeles-Chicago runs. She opened two gifts shops in the New Orleans French Quarter, Louisiana in 1968. In 1971 she opened Tracy Decorating Company on Main Street in Houston. On October 5, 1977, she enrolled in the Cantonese and Mandarin Language classes at Rice University, Houston, TX. She was involved in many successful real estate ventures. She was a graduate of The Texas Para-Legal School, Houston, Texas on January 21, 1981. On June 1, 1982 she became a Charter Member the Legal Assistants Division of the State Bar of Texas. In 1984-1986, she worked for the United States Bankruptcy Courts, Southern District of Texas. In 1988-1994, she worked as a para-legal for the Harris County Attorney's Office in the Eminent Domain and Real Property Tax Divisions. She served on the Board of the Harris County Appraisal District from 2000-2005. She was married to Edward John Landry, Judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 1, on January 5, 1994 until his death on December 22, 2009.

She is survived by her daughter, Aurora Tracy Bisig and husband, David Bisig of Dripping Springs, TX; her grandson, Mitchell Robison and wife Cathy Robison of Randolph, AFB, San Antonio, TX; her granddaughter, Michelle McMichael and husband, Grant McMichael of Austin, TX; her brother, Stephen Chen and wife, Wendy Chen of Houston, TX; her sister, Aurora Chen Low and husband, Dr. Dennis Low of Atherton, CA; 2 great grandchildren, Liam McMichael and Alexis Robison, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. Many thanks to the nurses from Brightstar Home Health and Memorial Hermann Hospice for their care and kindness during my difficult times. A visitation will be held Sunday, October 7th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary recited 7:30 p.m. at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home, 6700 Ferris St. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 1:00 P.M.,Monday, October 8th at Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, 1702 San Jacinto St., Houston, Texas 77002. The Rite of Committal will follow at Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77007.