Norma Barney Funeral

I went with my parents and uncle Charlie to Norma Barney's funeral. She is my 2nd cousin who died at 98 years old. She led an interesting and fulfilling life. She was the mother of one son--who I found out today may have taught me an intro to communications class at BYU ( I am happy to say that I actually did well in that class). She had six grandchildren and they each gave remarks about her today. I guess she carried on the Sherwood Sisters' love of cards and took all of them for their money at one time or another. She had a laugh and smile that created warmth around her. She also treated people as individuals. She lived so many places: Flagstaff, St. Johns, Tombstone, Cibicue, Peoria. . . I can't remember them all. She was tough, smart, and compassionate--sometimes all at once. I met her at a reunion when Hilda Anderson Erickson's monument was being dedicated. She stood out to me because of her humor and her kindness. She also came through St Johns and visited with Dad at the Drug Store. I remember one of those visits. After the funeral we drove around this H-U-G-E memorial garden to find her grave site. I went into the cemetary office and we found out she would be in the mossileum (sp?) I have never been in one before. It was interesting. Here is her obituary:


Norma Coleman Barney

Norma Coleman Barney wrote "It has been a wonderful life and it will continue at another time and another place." Our beloved grandmother passed away at 98 years of age on Monday, June 11, 2007 in Orem, Utah. She was born January 1, 1909 to Prime T. Coleman and Laverna Sherwood in Cibicue, Arizona. She was raised in the hill country of eastern Arizona and received her teaching certificate from Teachers College in Flagstaff, Arizona in January of 1928. In May of 1930 she was married to Ralph Gorman Barney in Flagstaff and was later sealed to Ralph for time and all eternity in the Mesa LDS Temple in 1983. They shared a life together for 55 years until his passing in 1985. Norma lived in every corner of Arizona as they moved 25 times over the next 10 years until settling in Flagstaff where she taught elementary school for 25 years primarily at Emerson, South Beaver, and Weitzel elementary schools. Later, she earned a masters degree in education from Northern Arizona University. She retired in 1969 and moved to Phoenix in 1973. In 2003 she moved to Utah to be closer to her son and extended family. Norma is survived by her sister Patricia Coleman of Grand Junction, Colorado and son Ralph Dale Barney of Orem, Utah and her seven grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be Friday June 15th at Moon Valley LDS Chapel, 11650 N. 35th Ave. in Phoenix . A viewing will be held at 10-11 a.m at the chapel on the day of the service. The service will commence at 11 a.m. Interment will take place immediately afterwards at Greenwood Memorial Lawn, 719 N. 27th Ave.