Norma Hannaford
Norma Sigrid (McCullough) Hannaford, 106, passed away July 8, 2010, at St. Luke Living Center in Marion.
She was born April 10, 1904, to Gilbert L. and Mabel (Swisher) McCullough on a farm near Leon.
The family moved to El Dorado where Norma attended school. Eventually the family moved to Marion where she completed her high school years.
Her father owned some of the first gas stations in central Kansas, and she often worked for him at the Marion station. She had a dance studio for youngsters in Marion for a short time. She graduated from Christian College in Columbia, Mo., and attended Emporia State Teachers College.
She married her high school sweetheart, Roger W. “Mike” Hannaford on Aug. 30, 1927. To this union three children were born: Wanda, Roger II, and Mary Margaret.
Norma was a very attentive mother and helpmate. She loved to entertain, including birthdays and theme parties. When her husband passed away in 1949, she took his place at Hannaford Title & Abstract Company. She stayed in this position until she was 80 years old, but maintained her abstractor license until she was 100.
She began writing the column, “Random Thoughts,” for Marion County Record in April 1998. Her final article was published July 7, 2010.
Norma loved to travel and made many trips overseas. But most of all she loved her family. She attended most of her children’s, grandchildren’s, and great-grandchildren’s activities.
Norma was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Marion, Chapter DB-PEO, several bridge clubs, the KK Club, and Tri Sigma Sorority.
Norma was the oldest of six children in the McCullough family. She was predeceased by her parents, husband, brother Gilbert McCullough II, and two sisters Faith Brose-Pittman and Dorothy Peterson-Caesar.
Surviving members of her family are sisters: Margaret “Margie” McBride and Betty Smith of Green Valley, Ariz.; daughter Wanda Burk of Colorado Springs; son Roger and wife Lavonne Hannaford of Marion; daughter Mary and husband Robert Exline of Salina; her nine grandchildren: Kenny and wife Pam Burk of Colorado Springs, Kris and husband Steve Springer of Manhattan, Kathy and husband Bob Nicholson of McPherson, Karen Rowe of Colorado Springs, Roger III and wife Sally Hannaford and Gayle and husband Mike Thomas of Marion, Rob and wife Kelli Exline of Salina, David Exline of Aliso Viejo, Calif., and Jean and husband Kurt Fredrickson of Salina; 19 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation with family was 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion.
Services were at 2 p.m. Monday at Marion Presbyterian Church.
Interment was in Marion Cemetery.
Memorials have been established with the church and St. Luke Hospital Foundation in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, 205 Elm St., Marion.
Last modified July 15, 2010