Norma Jean Quinn

life story

Display by The Birches at Trillium Woods

The Birches is where Norma spent the last few years of her life.

ABOUT NORMA

Norma passed away peacefully on January 13, 2023 at The Birches at Trillium Woods in Plymouth, MN at the age of 93. She had dealt with dementia and back pain for a number of years.

Norma was born December 27, 1929 to Ralph and Catherine Tennis and raised in Sturgis, SD. Her mother, Kate, had been raised on a nearby family cattle operation (the Duprel ranch) and Norma likely developed some of her toughness through her relationships with relatives on that ranch and from her very strong mother. Norma attended Catholic schools in Sturgis and was a very good student.

As Norma grew, she longed to explore other avenues of life and moved east to attend the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, MN. It was there she met a returning GI and talented baseball player, William J. “Romey” Quinn (he played minor league, southern Minnesota and town ball and attended St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona), with whom she fell in love. They married in August of 1949 and started their life together near Wilmar, MN but soon moved to Rapid City, SD when Norma’s father died shortly after helping to fight a fire as a volunteer fireman. There, Norma gave birth to her first two sons, Tim and Terry.

Norma and Romey moved to Appleton, WI due to his company, Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, asking him to become a manager. Norma gave birth to two more sons there, Tom and Dan, having Dan when she was 26. Norma bore the brunt of raising the four boys as Romey traveled and built his business in the financial services industry.

The family moved to La Crosse, WI after about 6 years when Romey was given another manager job with Equitable. Norma continued to raise the four boys but also tackled the game of golf and never looked back. She became a very accomplished single digit handicap player at her peak with many trophies over her lifetime to show for it, including multiple club championships and other competitive wins at the North Oaks Golf Club in North Oaks, MN. Norma’s golf experiences began in La Crosse but continued in Great Falls, MT, North Oaks, and eventually John’s Island, FL where she and Romey retired.

While living for a few years in Montana (another managerial move for Romey), Norma took up downhill skiing to be with her boys even though it somewhat frightened her, but she toughed it out.

After three years in Montana, Romey received a promotion to an agency manager position in Minnesota and the family moved to and built a home in North Oaks. As her boys were going through their high school years and moved on to college, Norma branched out and entered the residential real estate business. During this time Norma was one of only a handful of women in that business in the St. Paul area. She was the first female agent hired by Dan Dolan for Dan Dolan Realtors, which eventually combined with Edina Realty. She not only survived but thrived in what had been primarily a man’s business becoming one of the top producers in the North Oaks region.

When her boys started leaving the University of Minnesota and entering the permanent workforce, Norma’s and Romey’s businesses were flourishing and they decided to add a second home in Florida. First, at the PGA National Club in Palm Beach Gardens and shortly after in the golf community of John’s Island. They eventually retired and spent many years at John’s Island and were part of a large group of close friends. They also kept a townhome in North Oaks and retained their many friends in the area and at the golf club.

Throughout her adult years, Norma was a gifted bridge player and during her retirement she had even more time for the game and became a Life Master. She continued to study the game and enjoyed learning from some of the best when they traveled to Vero Beach, FL for presentations and coaching. She also enjoyed attending bridge tournaments in various cities and on cruise ships.

Norma also loved gardening and very much enjoyed planting and maintaining various types of flowering plants around her home in John’s Island where they flourished. They also surrounded Live Oaks that stood along the golf hole they lived on.

Norma’s sons benefited from the guidance that both Norma and Romey gave them in life. They are particularly appreciative and grateful to Norma for those elements of her parenting that instilled appropriate principles and allowed the boys to think for themselves. She was very instrumental in the boys’ development and was proud of that and proud of them

Norma lost Romey a little less than 15 years before her own passing. They had been married for just under 59 years. After his passing, she continued to enjoy golf, bridge, gardening, travel and her friends until back and hip injuries and the onset of dementia required her sons to move her back to Minnesota to receive care at Trillium Woods. Her sons are very appreciative of the very professional care she received there.

During Norma’s later years, with the pressure of life having moderated, Norma softened becoming a very kind, gentle, friendly soul. She was outgoing and enjoyed the people around her and they enjoyed her. You did well Norma Jean and will be missed.

There will be a family celebration of Norma’s life this summer.

memorial service

Family Celebration of Life

Aiming for June of 2023

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services