Obituary for Norma Louise Waugh (MacDonald)
On Sunday, December 31, 2023, at about 3 in the morning, our dear Norma Louise Waugh escaped dementia and went to be with her sweetie-pie, George. Born August 6, 1946, in Prince William, New Brunswick to Norman and Georgie (Johnson) MacDonald, Norma was the fourth of nine living siblings and the eldest daughter. She attended the local one-room schoolhouse before going to Harvey High School, from which she graduated in 1964. She worked a year before going into nursing, training at the Victoria Public Hospital School of Nursing in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and graduating in 1968. She then attended the United Pentecostal Bible Institute in Fredericton, from which she graduated in 1970. It was there that Norma met the love of her life, George Milton Waugh. They married on July 3, 1971, in Harvey, New Brunswick. Their love would give them two precious daughters, Leta Marion Waugh and Cynthia Dawn Johnson-Phillips, whom they loved dearly.
Norma had a full nursing career as well as a mothering one, including several years at the Oromocto Public Hospital and more than twenty years at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton. She cared deeply for her patients and did her best to bring light, hope, and laughter into their lives. Norma was also active in children’s ministry at her church when her girls were growing up, both as a committed Sunday school teacher and as camp nurse and craft lady for summer camp. She always thought up fun and creative things for her girls and their friends to do, including a treasure-hunt birthday party that had them tracing clues all over the neighbourhood before finding the prize—the cake—in the clothes dryer!
Norma and her husband George’s path eventually took them to Golden, British Columbia, where they built a lovely life as members of the community and of the former Golden Pentecostal Tabernacle. They had many dear friends in that little mountain town and felt so much at home—those years of their lives were truly “golden.”
Norma’s caring and fun-loving spirit was still evident even after dementia took her to the memory care unit at Aspen Heights Retirement Residence in Calgary, Aberta to live. She would often demonstrate deep concern and care for the other residents and was known to sneak up on her favourite caregiver and tickle her just for fun.
Norma was predeceased by her husband, George; her parents, Norman and Georgie; and three brothers, David (stillborn), Jim, and Floyd MacDonald. She leaves behind her daughters, Leta and Cynthia; siblings Fred MacDonald, Katherine (Wilfred) Patterson, Kenneth (Pat) MacDonald, Christine (Jerry) Arbeau, Charles (Myrna) MacDonald, and Calvin (Fe) MacDonald; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.
We shall miss her terribly.
A joint memorial service will be held for Norma and George in the summer of 2024 at the Rusagonis Baptist Church (4 Whittaker Rd, Rusagonis, NB) in Rusagonis, New Brunswick.
Many thanks go to the staff at Aspen Heights Retirement Residence and at Unit 78 of the South Health Campus in Calgary. Thank you for taking care of our precious Norma in her final months and days. May God bless you!
To view and share stories, photos, and condolences of Norma, please visit www.choicememorial.com.
Norma had a full nursing career as well as a mothering one, including several years at the Oromocto Public Hospital and more than twenty years at the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation in Fredericton. She cared deeply for her patients and did her best to bring light, hope, and laughter into their lives. Norma was also active in children’s ministry at her church when her girls were growing up, both as a committed Sunday school teacher and as camp nurse and craft lady for summer camp. She always thought up fun and creative things for her girls and their friends to do, including a treasure-hunt birthday party that had them tracing clues all over the neighbourhood before finding the prize—the cake—in the clothes dryer!
Norma and her husband George’s path eventually took them to Golden, British Columbia, where they built a lovely life as members of the community and of the former Golden Pentecostal Tabernacle. They had many dear friends in that little mountain town and felt so much at home—those years of their lives were truly “golden.”
Norma’s caring and fun-loving spirit was still evident even after dementia took her to the memory care unit at Aspen Heights Retirement Residence in Calgary, Aberta to live. She would often demonstrate deep concern and care for the other residents and was known to sneak up on her favourite caregiver and tickle her just for fun.
Norma was predeceased by her husband, George; her parents, Norman and Georgie; and three brothers, David (stillborn), Jim, and Floyd MacDonald. She leaves behind her daughters, Leta and Cynthia; siblings Fred MacDonald, Katherine (Wilfred) Patterson, Kenneth (Pat) MacDonald, Christine (Jerry) Arbeau, Charles (Myrna) MacDonald, and Calvin (Fe) MacDonald; and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.
We shall miss her terribly.
A joint memorial service will be held for Norma and George in the summer of 2024 at the Rusagonis Baptist Church (4 Whittaker Rd, Rusagonis, NB) in Rusagonis, New Brunswick.
Many thanks go to the staff at Aspen Heights Retirement Residence and at Unit 78 of the South Health Campus in Calgary. Thank you for taking care of our precious Norma in her final months and days. May God bless you!
To view and share stories, photos, and condolences of Norma, please visit www.choicememorial.com.