Norma J. Swanborough

Norma Jean Swanborough, 81,passed away on October 25, 2023 with family at her side as she left this world to enter her long-anticipated home in heaven. She and husband, Dr. Allan Swanborough spent her final years near family in Almont, Michigan.

She was truly the best mother in the world, and has friends from across the world that felt her mother’s kind of love even as friends. It is so hard to capture one so dynamic in these words, so it will be hard to convey the real Norma in the following.

Born July 29, 1946 in LaPorte, Indiana, and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Norma (nicknamed Penny by her Midwestern family) moved to California where she worked in reservations for Delta Airlines and met Allan at Hollywood Presbyterian in the young adults’ group. They moved their young family to Brush Prairie, Washington and then McMinnville, Oregon for the majority of their lives.

Norma is survived by her loving husband of 52 years Allan, and their children:Jennifer (David) Hricik, Julie (Bill) King, Jeffrey (Tracy) Swanborough; and her beloved grandchildren, Courtney (Parker) Hossler, Sydney King, Lily King, Lachlan Swanborough, Casey King, Peter Swanborough, Calem King, and Adam Swanborough.She was preceded in death by her parents Norman Eugene Hatfield and Pauline Hatfield. Norma’s family felt her love through and through, and we all saw her pure delight as she showered love on her grandchildren. Each one of them was cherished through special songs that she sang just for them and she was sure to share many photos of them with you via her Christmas newsletter or Shutterfly mugs or albums she was known to gift.

If you knew Norma, you knew two things for sure…she cared about you, and she loved Jesus and wanted you to know His love as well. She in turn was loved for her bubbly personality and sense of humor–even to the end she was remarkable despite the effects of illness–as she knew how to kid with her family and caregivers which she knew by name—especially if it was a nickname she’d given them.

While Norma loved nothing better than to catch up with friends and family with a cup of tea and a conversation, she was also a woman of action. She viewed every job she had as an outreach for people—be it solving a plane reservation, leading the volunteer program at Valley Presbyterian Hospital (CA), selling Mary Kay, a number of administrative assistant roles, serving students at George Fox University, and members at Amity Baptist Church. And, so many more musical, ministry, volunteer, and civic pursuits.

Join us in celebrating Norma’s life by sharing God’s love with another. Honor her love for children by giving a gift in her memory where she shared her time, talent and treasure to Operation Christmas Child | Shoe box Outreach (also consider packing a box as you remember her vibrant life) or Child Evangelism Fellowship at Mid-Thumb CEF, P.O. Box 314, Lapeer MI 48446. Condolences can be sent to family c/o the King Family, PO Box 673, Almont, MI 48003.

A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 (appropriately All Saints Day) at First Congregational Church of Almont: Independent Evangelical, 201 E. St. Clair, Almont, Michigan at 2:00p.m. with refreshments immediately following at the church. The service will be recorded for family in Australia and live-streaming will be via the church’s

Facebook site at First Congregational Church of Almont.

Burial will take place thereafter at Amity Cemetery in Amity, Oregon at a date and time yet to be determined.