Norma Lee Oldland
Nov. 26, 1928 ~ Sept. 12, 2019
Norma Lee Parkes Oldland passed away Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, at Swedish Medical Center, Denver, Colorado. She enjoyed 90 years of good health and was still driving and playing bridge.
Norma was born on a ranch near Nine Mile between Craig and Meeker, Colorado to George and Nellie Parkes. She grew up on their Flag Creek Ranch where she and her siblings walked three miles to school. Her family raised cattle and turkeys. One of Norma’s many jobs was to grind the grain for the turkeys, which she claimed you could only grind a cup at a time. She never did like turkeys! She graduated from Rio Blanco County High School in 1946, and graduated from Parks Business School.
In 1948 Norma married Reuben Oldland and moved to the family ranch on Piceance Creek. There she had three children Reuben Gerald (Jerry), baby Oldland (stillborn), and Eva Christine (Chris).
Norma was handy with a branding iron, branding all of the calves on the ranch for over 30 years. She also bailed hay, helped with calving and for many years cooked for hunters. Norma was a P.E.O. Chapter BA member for 60 years. She loved to paint with oils, watercolors and painted china. Norma won many grand and reserve champion ribbons from the Rio Blanco County Fair for her beautiful works. Norma worked as an election judge for 46 years. Norma was a member of the Piceance Creek School Board in the 1950s. Served as Senior Warden at St James Episcopal Church for many years and served as Secretary-Treasurer for St. James Guild.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents George and Nellie Parkes; her husband Reuben Dixon Oldland; siblings Tom Parkes, Elizabeth Dunham, Dorothy Bloomfield; and granddaughter-in-law Lacey Oldland. She is survived by her son Jerry (Stephanie) Oldland, daughter Chris (Tim) Uphoff; grandchildren Melisa (Adam) Liberman, Gerald (Jennifer) Oldland and Coe Uphoff; great-grandchildren Ryder Liberman, Maverick Liberman and Tripp Liberman. Norma is also survived by her sister Margaret Crawford.
Services will be held at St. James Episcopal Church in Meeker, Colorado, on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery and then a luncheon at the Fairfield Center, 200 Main St.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to St. James Church, P.O. Box 641, Meeker, Colorado, 81641
