Obituary of Norma Carolyn Krampitz

Norma Carolyn (Howard) Krampitz, a life well-lived. Our mother was an exceptional woman. She lived her life with greatness and love to all her family, friends, and community. After a valiant battle with cancer, Momma passed away surrounded by family. She was preceded in death by a loving husband, Arthur Krampitz; sisters, Patricia (Howard) Pinney and Bobble Jean (Howard) Murphy; father, Norman Howard; mother, Genevieve (Toal) Howard; son-in-law, Daniel Rhodes; and various relatives. Norma was born June 28, 1933, in Tracy, California, to Genevieve and Norman Howard. Norma moved to Yuba City where her grandparents, Caroline and Frederick Klempp were "Yuba City Pioneers." She attended Bridge St. Elementary and then Yuba City High School, graduating in 1951. From May 1951 to July 1952, she was a legal secretary for the Yuba City Public Defender's Office. At 18 years of age in July of 1952, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. Following boot camp, she was assigned as a legal secretary to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Quantico, Virginia, and Post Legal Officer; there she met the love of her life, our father, Arthur Krampitz. One day while working in the typing pool, she was asked to type up President Eisenhower's Armistice speech to the nation, effectively ending the Korean War. She was very proud of her "claim to fame" and would often tell her story of being a part of history to others. She married Arthur Krampitz in September 1953. She was honorably discharged in October of 1953, and went to live in Arthur's hometown of Connellsville, PA. There they had three of their four children, Rebecca, Keith, and Lydia. In 1957, to escape the coal dust, the grueling winters, and to be closer to her family; our family of five packed up and headed out to sunny California, Yuba City to be exact. According to our father, it was one of the best decisions he ever made. In 1961, our family was made complete with an addition of a fourth child, Robert. Norma was born to be charitable and serve, and that she did, all while loving the Lord with all her heart. While our dad worked for Pacific Telephone, mom took on various jobs and volunteer work. She was a busy lady. Even through our dad's untimely illness, she took care of him, worked, and raised the four of us. She was a den mother, a team mother, helped with Blue Birds and Camp Fire Girls, as well as being the school room mother many times for all four of her children, PTA member at King Avenue, April Lane, and Gray Avenue, and PTA president at Barry School and Yuba High. She was a legal secretary to multiple attorneys over the early years and also served as the secretary for Faith Lutheran Church, where she was a member for 66 years. Volunteering was a way of life for our mother. She was a Pink Lady at Fremont Hospital for 35 years, until its closing, a chairperson with her husband for the hospital and the Telephone Pioneers to start the local Lifeline program, a frequent volunteer at Butchie's Pool until it's closing, an election board precinct inspector, a volunteer with the Sutter County Museum, as well as a longtime volunteer of the Red Cross. She was a member of the Red Cross in high school, but joined as an adult in 1997, after the Arboga flood and loved her Red Cross volunteer trips. She was even honored to help in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. She loved people and loved to give of her time and talents. Through the years, we learned from mom to be thoughtful, kind and helpful to others. Through education and motherly love, we all established professions that served the public needs. In between working and volunteering, she babysat some of her grandbabies, which was her favorite "job" of all. She loved all of her grandbabies so much. For the last twenty some years, she was, as she stated, "Blessed to work at Tri-County Respite in Yuba City", which she did up until her 90th birthday. (Thank you Christa, Jerri, and Sharon for loving and caring for her as much as we did.) Norma leaves behind her four children: daughter, Becky Rhodes; son and daughter-in­ law, Keith and Debbie Krampitz, daughter and son-in-law, Lydia and Randy Rasmussen; and son and daughter-in-law, Robert Krampitz and Carolyn Iverson. She also leaves behind her 9 grandchildren: Jared, Ryan, Dustin, Craig, Brian, Alyssa, Mathew, Geneva, and Ian; and 10 great-grandchildren: Kailey, Wyatt, Kastyn, Landen, Riley, Grace, Violet, Sydney, Chase, and Wesley. In addition, she leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews. We know that the Father has welcomed her home with, "Well done thy good and faithful servant". We will miss her until we see her again. "This too shall pass" and we will see her again on the other side. The Family would like to thank Blossom Ridge Home Health and Hospice, especially their nurses, as well as cousin, Shirley Bartch and sister-in-law, Carolyn Iverson. All of your special care for mom was above and beyond and was so appreciated by aff of the family. A celebration of life for Norma Krampitz will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 11:00 am at Faith Lutheran Church, 1000 D St., Marysville, CA. Reception to follow at the church.