- Date Of Birth: April 17, 1929
- Date Of Death: May 1, 2015
- State: Utah
Norma May Rigby Arave
April 17, 1929 – May 1, 2015
Norma May Rigby Arave, 86, passed away due to complications from Alzheimer’s on May 1, 2015 to be reunited with her late husband and other family in the spirit world.
She was born on April 17, 1929 in Magna, Utah, the third child of seven for Wilmer Raymond Rigby and Lida Elnora Wadsworth. Norma spent her early years in southern Idaho, in Sublett first and later Grace. She worked on the 160-acre family Grace farm along side her brothers, even milking cows. She graduated from Grace High School in 1947, excelling in journalism.She then moved to Hooper and worked at Hill Air Force Base in the payroll division, from 1947-1954.
Norma married Gene Simpson Arave on Aug. 24, 1947 in the Salt Lake Temple. They briefly lived in Roy, before building a home and settling in the center of Hooper. They were married more than 57 years. Gene passed away in 2005.
She worked as a playground supervisor at Hooper Elementary School for more 18 years and received an award for her work with the Bookmobile. She served as sexton of the Hooper Cemetery for 23 years.
Active in the LDS Church, she loved being ward and stake librarian for many years. She also had many other callings and assisted her husband, a patriarch, for more than 27 years typing blessings.
“I love the Church with all my heart and the Church and my family are the two most important things in my life,” she once declared.
Norma especially enjoyed walking, gardening, reading, keeping records and corresponding with friends and family. She helped many in her neighborhood and liked traveling. She did several hikes in Zion and Yosemite National Parks, late in her life, in 2011-2012.
Norma lived in Hooper for more than 63 years. Due to Alzheimer’s Disease, she had resided at Chancellor Gardens in Clearfield since 2012.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene, and a son, LaMoyne; her parents and an older brother, Max Rigby.
Surviving are two daughters — Karen (Jon) Hugie and Deanna (Lynn) Davis; and four sons — Lynn (LeAnn) Arave; Russell (Cindy) Arave; Mark (Stacey) Arave; and Wayne (Caryn) Arave; plus 19 grandchildren and 16 greatgrandchildren.
Norma is also survived by three sisters: Donna (Richard) Penrod; June Turner and Maurine (Richard) Myer; and one brother, Harold (Geniel) Rigby.
