Norma Lee Brown

Norma Lee (Holmes) Brown, 92, died January 16, 2018 in Hill City, Kansas. She was born prematurely November 9, 1925 in Norton, Kansas to Lee and Louise (Gauthier) Holmes. She was so small that her father’s ring fit over her wrist. Since there were no facilities in hospitals to help premature babies, she was sent home to survive or die. Survive she did in a large part to the diligent care of her grandmother Agnes Gauthier. Grandmother Agnes remained a large part of Norma Lee’s life. She spent many hours of her childhood in and around Agnes and Bill Gauthier’s grocery store and café in Hill City. Norma Lee was a home town girl throughout all her life and she loved it. Her grandfather Gauthier was a teamster and hauled the first load of freight up the hill from the railroad depot to the Hill City town site. This was where he met Agnes, who was hired by W.R. Hill, to cook for the building crews. She attended public schools in Hill City, graduating from Hill City High School in the Class of 1943. She was one of the four surviving class members. Married to Robert Brown in Hill City, Kansas on April 27, 1947, she and Bob enjoyed celebrating anniversaries together for many years with Fred and Muriel Stinemetz whose anniversary was in April also. On January 25, 1949 the Browns had a son, Richard Wayne, who died at birth. A daughter, Lee Ann was born May 12, 1961. Norma Lee taught in a country school on the Red Line and gave piano lessons for several years. Norma Lee loved to dance and had a special love of music. That love for music was passed on to her students. Her favorite pupil (other than her daughter) was probably Andy Anderson, and she always teased him good-naturedly about getting him started in his musical career. However, many remember Andy recalling that Norma Lee instilled in him his love for music too. For many years, bowling every Saturday night at the Hill City bowling alley was almost a ritual. She loved to bowl. Even after the bowling alley’s demise, she traveled on a bus with fellow Hill Citians to the WaKeeney bowling alley. Norma Lee was a member of the Hill City Christian Church, where she was baptized in 1970. She was a hard worker and very involved in serving her community. She loved being a 4-H leader for the youth and especially liked to help the elderly. She worked for many years for what was then known as the SRS, and later Jill’s Helping Hands, providing cleaning services and running errands for people throughout the county. If there was a community function, Norma Lee was there. She loved to attend any and all school, church and 4-H functions and never missed any in the 12 years Lee Ann was in school. The Hill City Alumni weekend was an important weekend of keeping up with her classmates and she always looked forward to it. She was always ready to head to the Graham County Fair and Rodeo each year, especially those years Lee Ann provided musical accompaniment for the Jayhawker Roundup Rodeo. Norma Lee always kept her sense of humor and was happiest when she could make people laugh or at least smile. She knew everyone. She was also very dedicated to family. Although she had no grandchildren of her own, she enjoyed keeping up with the lives and activities of her cousin Ilene Harvey’s children, affectionately known as “The Harvey Five” and her nephew Rex Brown’s children and grandchildren. Norma Lee, may Heaven be filled with laughter, dancing, music and friends.