Norma Lee Deyoe-Swart, age 94, died Saturday, September 3, 2022, exactly 32 years to the date of her late husband, Robert (Bob) Deyoe’s death.
Norma was born on October 30, 1927 to Chet and Marie Beatty in Garden City, Kansas. She attended Grant County Rural High School, where she met Bob Deyoe. They were married on February 7, 1946.
Bob and Norma started their life together on the Deyoe farm in Grant County. Norma Lee was very busy being a mother to their four children, as well as being the best farmhand ever! She literally drove the wheels off of the harvest truck she was driving. (This is an inside joke for her kids - they understand).
Norma did various jobs when it came to “life on the farm.” So, so many things! In 1956 when their oldest son, Eddie Lynn, turned 10 years old, she and Bob joined the 4-H organization. Norma dedicated most of her life to 4-H community work. She influenced many kids during her time as a 4-H leader in Grant County as well as Logan County.
In Norma’s later years, she took up the art of painting. She attended many art shows and loved painting pictures of people’s homesteads. She also enjoyed making sketches of loved ones. Many of her artist friends said that she was very inspirational to them. They loved being with her because she was so upbeat and fun to be around. Norma served on the Kansas Art Commission from 1992 to 1994.
There were numerous other organizations to which she dedicated her time and talent. Bob and Norma Lee were members of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ulysses for a number of years.
After the death of her first husband, Bob, in 1990, Norma remained on the farm. She was the first woman to serve as President of the Kansas Wheat Growers Association (KWGA) in 1991-1992. She was also a founding member of the Kansas Wheathearts, an organization of ladies who were associated with KWGA.
Norma made many life-long friends through her work with these organizations. This included Lloyd Swart, who was a fellow leader on the Kansas Wheat Commission board. After the passing of both of their spouses, Norma and Lloyd began dating in 1991 and were married on December 22, 1994 in Ulysses. They spent 27 years together in Oakley and were active in the Oakley community life.
She enjoyed participating in the Oakley Chapter EX PEO, “sing-a-longs”, and was devoted to the Oakley United Methodist Church. Norma was full of love, life and laughter... which she shared with everyone around her.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Alayne Beatty; and husband, Robert Deyoe.
She is survived by her husband, Lloyd; children, Eddie (Sheila) Deyoe, Dennis (Sheryl) Deyoe, Diana Lightcap and Bev (Dennis) Ragland; stepchildren, Linda (Brent) Logan, Lori (Troy) Sporer and Ryan (Karen) Swart; grandchildren, Velvet Randolph, Nikki Siler, Cherry Hale, Dylan Gill, Dimitra Becker, Matt Deyoe, Wade Deyoe, Kelsey Jones, Spencer Childress, Savanah Sporer, Abbey Elliott, Madison Swart and Marlie Swart; and her many great grandchildren.
