Norma Elizabeth Hampson (30 Mar 1932 - 27 Sep 2018)

In loving memory of Norma Elizabeth Hampson who sadly passed away on 27th September 2018 after a long struggle with Alzheimers,aged 86 years.
Reunited with her beloved husband John. Much loved mum of Roger and Susan, devoted gran to Jessica, Harry, Georgina and Jennibel

Norma Elizabeth Hampson
(nee Pitman)
30/03/1932 – 27/09/2018

Born in Derby. Only child of Sam & Betty.
Widow
Husband: John (known to family as Jack) who passed away Sept 1995.
Married: 6th June 1959
Two children: Roger & Susan.
Four grandchildren: Jessica & Harry, Georgina & Jennibel

Norma had a very interesting life. She loved a party, loved having fun and had a wonderful sense of humour.
She grew up and went to school in Derby.
She trained to be a typist/ secretary. Most of her working life she worked as a Medical Secretary.
She met our father, John, when his sister Joyce made him go to a dance at the Assembly Rooms in Derby.
He was home on leave from Africa and was due to return the following week. During the dance he met Norma and there was instant love at first sight! John asked Norma for a date for the following evening but she couldn’t make that, but they arranged to meet before he left.
After John returned to Nyasaland, Africa they continued their romance by letter. As you will appreciate mail was fairly slow between England & Africa in the late 50’s so they both were overjoyed each time a letter arrived.
In Africa at the time there was a lot of problems and so John didn’t think it safe for her to go out ( he’d been drafted into the local police and issued with a revolver) and so kept delaying. In the end Norma decided safe or not - she was going! She was not prepared to be apart any longer from her Fiancée!
Norma sailed to Africa and travelled across land to Nyasaland ( now Malawi). Everyone thought her mad to travel to a different continent to marry a man she had only seen half a dozen times! But love is love!
Norma and John were married on 6th June 1959 in Blantyre at the Blantyre Church of Scotland.
The following year their first child, Roger, was born at the Malamuto Hospital and Leper Clinic.
Shortly afterwards they both briefly returned to England before going to live in Trinidad.
Their second child, Susan, was born in 1962. This time Norma travelled back to England and Susan was born at St.Marys hospital Derby.
Again the family returned to England and then in 1969 John was posted to Tobruk, Libya and Norma and the children followed. Unfortunately, this was short lived as there was a revolution in Libya as General Gadaffi took control and all families had to be quickly evacuated. John was permitted to leave.
Another spell in England and then off to Nairobi, Kenya in 1973-1974. Whilst John worked, Norma used to take Roger & Susan around the game parks, swimming at Masai Lodge where you could watch hippo in the river below and to the equatorial line to stand on both sides of the world at the same time.
Norma loved Africa and it’s people, climate and open space. She often said “Once you have drunk the waters of Africa, you have to return”
This time when the family returned to England this is where they remained.
Norma continued working at Park Farm as a Medical Secretary until John retired. They both became closely involved in the local Conservative Party and Norma was the Secretary for this for several years. Norma enjoyed this, and her party colleagues became good friends. She enjoyed organising recipe books, table top sales and fish and chips suppers, especially the suppers!
Norma’s passions in life were family, canal cruising, dogs, curry, computers and making orange wine! Not necessarily in that order!
Norma and John had a canal boat built the “Kwa -Heri” - Swahili for “Good-bye or Good Journey” and they both had many happy times. Norma behind the tiller of a boat was an interesting experience. The concept of “give way” to other boats was most certainly not in her highway code. Her words were often “ go faster! They will get out the way”. Roger & Susan were worried when they first saw the gang plank she had bought and whether they might be made to walk it!
Norma’s love of dogs and boating led her to write a novelette called “Everybody Loves Spike”.
Norma and John were fortunate, in retirement, to holiday by Banana Boat to the West Indies. This took them back in time and they were able to revive many happy memories that had been forgotten.
Sadly, Norma’s husband John passed away in September 1995. Norma and John were happily married for 37 years. Norma missed her husband every day since then. She is reunited with him in God’s glory.
Norma was very proud and always supportive of her children and grand children. She was particularly proud of her grand children and their achievements. She loved her technicolour fingernails painted by them!
As you may know Norma suffered from Dementia and sadly this ultimately resulted in her passing away. But an awful illness such as dementia can have moments to make us smile and laugh. Such as the time Norma decided that the apples weren’t ripening fast enough, and rather like the tomatoes she loved to grow, pulled all the leaves off the apple trees to let the sun ripen them faster. Somehow this didn’t harm them and they had a bumper crop!
Norma, wife, mother, grand mother and friend will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.