Norma Ardell Penn, age 86 of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away on Sunday, June 4, 2023 of natural causes.

Norma was born on October 20, 1936 in the upstairs of a house in Williston, North Dakota.

Proceed in death by her parents Norville Scott and Annie Miller Scott Loe and 6 siblings Wayne Scott, Calvin Scott, Dennis Loe, Billy Lou (Scott) Foster, Adriane Scott,Randall Scott.

Survivors include Norma’s children, Justin Penn and Laurie Lee and her husband Steve both of Vero Beach; grandchildren, Brenton, his wife Courtney and their children, Everett and Ava, Melissa and her children, Skylar and Jaspar, Aubreye and her children, Brandon, Cory and Kiera, Amber her husband Carlos and their children, Landon, Delilah and Leia, Racheal her husband David and their children, Christian, Anton and Lucas, Megan her husband, Shannon their children, Bailey and Kelsey and Lacey her husband James and their daughter, Finley; brothers, Norville Scott and Charles Scott

Norma graduated from Williston High School the class of 1954. After graduation it was on to Minot, North Dakota to college. Norma received her teaching certificate in May of 1955. From Minot, she went on to Lake Metigoshe in Northern North Dakota, working for the summer at the Lake Metigoshe restaurant. In September of 1955 Norma started to teach at a one room schoolhouse near the lake. Norma had met girlfriends that lived in Bottineau, North Dakota who introduced Norma to a City of Bottineau Police officer James Lee Penn and fell in love. Norma and Jim Married in February of 1956. They made their home in Bottineau along with their Weimaraner dogs. Jim started working for the Massey Ferguson farm implement while his bride was teaching at the one room schoolhouse, grades 1 – 8… no 6^th graders that year. Norma didn’t return to teaching in the fall as she was expecting their first child, Justin Penn was born in November of 1956. Norma and Jim moved from North Dakota to eastern Montana in 1958. In September of 1958 they welcomed a daughter, Laurie Lee Penn.

While being a home maker, Norma also worked as a waitress, taught knitting and crochet (as she was a very skilled knitter). Jim and Norma’s life then took them on many moves from Spokane, Washington to Portland, Oregon then to Billings, Montana then to Boise, Idaho. Norma received a secretary certificate from Boise State College and worked at Morrison Knutson in Boise, Idaho.

Norma and Jim moved on to Williston, North Dakota where Norma was a trust Department secretary. The next move took them back to Billings, Montana for a few years then back to Boise, Idaho. Jim retired and they moved to Glenns Ferry, Idaho where they made their home until Jim’s passing in 2017. Norma then moved to Vero Beach, Florida to be near her daughter and her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

One of Norma’s greatest pleasures was telling a joke. The one she would tell most was “what does a frog wear? A jump suit”! Talking to people asking them questions i.e. where are you from? This always led to her explaining that she was born in North Dakota and raised her children in Billings, Montana and then moved to Boise, Idaho. Norma liked to just visit as she didn’t like to be alone. Norma had a beautiful apartment in Vero Beach and enjoyed music, food and of course being around people to tell a good joke or two. Justin moved to Vero Beach in 2022 and has been able to spend time with Norma too.

Jim and Norma had prearranged to be buried at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery. Norma’s ashes will be placed along with Jim at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery in Boise, Idaho. The existing headstone will be replaced reflecting Norma’s information. The headstone replacement process will take a few months. As always anyone can go to the cemetery at any time to visit. Laurie and Justin will be going to Idaho next spring to see the headstone and will let everyone know in case they are out that way and want to pay a visit.