Norma Louise Lanz was born July 30, 1917, in Winona, Minnesota, to Grover Cleveland Miller and Grace Elmira Pickart. Her father died when she was little. She grew up with her half siblings Evelyn, Richard, and Beverly in the home of her mother and stepfather, Benjamin Zimmerman. Family still talks about one of her parents serving as sheriff in the town where she was raised.
She played the organ and taught lessons. Music was how she filled a room.
Her parents did not want her to marry a farmer. She married Robert Paul Lanz anyway. On a Saturday evening in 1939, at 6:30, they were wed at the manse of First Presbyterian Church. Rev. Marion L. Blake performed the ceremony. Norma’s sister Evelyn stood with her. Edward Michalski was best man. Norma wore a white suit and gardenias. After the service they left for northern Minnesota, then made their first home at 777 West Broadway. Robert worked for Montgomery Ward.
They had two children, Judy and David, and from there the family kept growing: 6 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and 6 great great grandchildren.
They had 38 years together, until Robert died in 1977.
Norma lived to 96. She died in Sacramento on October 18, 2013, and is buried beside Robert at East Lawn Elk Grove Memorial Park in Elk Grove, California.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her siblings Evelyn Ribordy, Richard “Boots” Zimmerman, and Beverly Tadewald.
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