Norma Pauline Eggleston (Huseby)

In loving memory of our mother and grandmother, Norma P Eggleston, who passed away at home of natural causes on July 4th, 2022. She was the devoted wife of Floyd Eggleston and loving mother of 7 children. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Norma was born March 5th, 1931, in Wolf Point, Mt to Norlin and Pauline Huseby. They lived in the Wolf Point area before moving to a farm south of Hamilton, Mt. She attended elementary school in Hamilton until the family moved to Missoula, where she and her sister Mardy attended Loyola Sacred Heart Academy. Upon graduating, she joined Mountain Bell phone company. Later she worked at several family restaurants in Missoula, (The Park and Main Spot), where she touched many lives. She then went to work for The University of Montana, where she worked until she retired.

She met Floyd Eggleston and the couple were married July 29th, 1950. They spent time in North Dakota, where Floyd was raised and had family. They also spent time in Butte, and Anaconda where she met lifelong friend Ruth Hoffman. Later they returned to Missoula. Along the way they met countless friends that they enjoyed late night pinochle games with, including Don and Eileen Carey, road trips, and weekend stays at their good friends Joe and Sadie Farrington’s cabin in Rivulet. She and Sadie knew where all the great berry patches were.

She enjoyed bowling with friends, taking home several trophies along the way. Arts and crafts were a huge part of her life, and it was her passion to make gifts of ceramics, and crocheted items, finishing her last doily in April of this year. Many Christmases we would receive her handmade gifts which we all treasured. She found great pride in guiding her grandchildren thru schooling and becoming find adults and talked about it always.

She could cook up a storm from scratch, including homemade cookies, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls and many other favorites . Her children enjoyed teasing one another with photos anytime she made one of them homemade treats. Her Sunday fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy was a favorite as well.

She was an avid reader, wiz at crossword puzzles and crypto quote. You had better not call her during her evening Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune episodes, as these were her shows! Although Floyd would always call them weeds, she had the knack for keeping all her plants and flowers smiling back at us.

A highlight of hers was the trip to Alaska that Terry took her and Kasey on in August of 2009. She enjoyed halibut fishing, a train ride to Seward, a Glacier cruise, shopping with Kasey and a trip to the bookstore (both were avid bookworms).

She and Floyd raised their 7 children through hard times and good times. She always put the needs of others in front of her own. She showed amazing strength throughout her entire life, from at the early age of 13 having to help run the family farm and attend school while both her parents had to be in Seattle for her dad’s health, to raising a large family in some very lean times, to working full time and taking care of her mother, to being Dad’s caregiver during his health decline. Through her own health struggles, she showed amazing strength and independence right to the very last.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Norlin and Pauline, her husband of 52 years Floyd, her middle son Cliff, and grandchildren Jeff Indreland, Paula Brandt, and Kasey Eggleston. She is survived by her Sister Mardy Cook of Minneapolis, her children Karen (Chris), Eileen, Keith (Peggy), Laurie (Tom), Terry, and Lisa. Along with grandchildren Jeremy, Jackie, Jadene, Michelle, Kevin, Tiffany, Amy, Rachelle, Ben, Nichole, Colby, Kourtney, and Kyle. and 21 great grandkids.

The funeral service will be held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home on July 15th, 10:30am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to International Heart Institute at St. Pat’s Hospital.

Mother, you will always be in our hearts, and we will never forget you. We love you so much. Rest in peace.