Norma Jeane McJones passed away at her home in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on December 4, 1993, following an extended battle with fungal meningitis. The daughter of Fred and Georgia Prater, she was born in Kismet, Kansas, on March 24, 1925.
She studied piano and marimba during her school years in Kismet, and continued her piano studies at Colorado Women's College and at the University of Kansas. Her love of classical music continued to grow, with baroque chamber music becoming her favorite. Rediscovery of 1940's big band recordings added another dimension to her musical enjoyment.
She met Bob McJones, of Dodge City, Kansas, at KU when he returned from the war in late 1945. She demonstrated her courage and confidence during a forced landing in his small airplane prior to their marriage in Kismet on August 25, 1946. In later years, she displayed the same courage during their family adventures in boats, automobiles and motorhomes.
After Bob's graduation from KU in 1947, they moved to Pasadena for graduate study at Caltech. They stayed on in Southern California where Bob started with Douglas Aircraft and later became an independent engineering consultant.
She thoroughly enjoyed living in California. Nevertheless, she maintained close ties to her friends and relatives in Kansas and Missouri. She also enjoyed a brief sojourn in Columbus, Indiana, during 1960-61.
Norma Jeane concentrated on her chosen calling of wife and mother; but she found time for her friends, for her garden, and for a variety of needlework projects. In recent years, she specialized in quilt making, turning out a series of museum quality pieces. She supported the South Bay Quilters Guild, the Palos Verdes Art Center, and various musical activities.
She leaves her husband, Bob; her sister, Reta Jane Kane, of Liberal; four sons, Paul of Mountain View, Bruce of Grand Rapids, Justin of Portuguese Bend, and Stephen of San Pedro. She also leaves three granddaughters and two grandsons.
She studied piano and marimba during her school years in Kismet, and continued her piano studies at Colorado Women's College and at the University of Kansas. Her love of classical music continued to grow, with baroque chamber music becoming her favorite. Rediscovery of 1940's big band recordings added another dimension to her musical enjoyment.
She met Bob McJones, of Dodge City, Kansas, at KU when he returned from the war in late 1945. She demonstrated her courage and confidence during a forced landing in his small airplane prior to their marriage in Kismet on August 25, 1946. In later years, she displayed the same courage during their family adventures in boats, automobiles and motorhomes.
After Bob's graduation from KU in 1947, they moved to Pasadena for graduate study at Caltech. They stayed on in Southern California where Bob started with Douglas Aircraft and later became an independent engineering consultant.
She thoroughly enjoyed living in California. Nevertheless, she maintained close ties to her friends and relatives in Kansas and Missouri. She also enjoyed a brief sojourn in Columbus, Indiana, during 1960-61.
Norma Jeane concentrated on her chosen calling of wife and mother; but she found time for her friends, for her garden, and for a variety of needlework projects. In recent years, she specialized in quilt making, turning out a series of museum quality pieces. She supported the South Bay Quilters Guild, the Palos Verdes Art Center, and various musical activities.
She leaves her husband, Bob; her sister, Reta Jane Kane, of Liberal; four sons, Paul of Mountain View, Bruce of Grand Rapids, Justin of Portuguese Bend, and Stephen of San Pedro. She also leaves three granddaughters and two grandsons.
Norma Jeane McJones passed away at her home in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on December 4, 1993, following an extended battle with fungal meningitis. The daughter of Fred and Georgia Prater, she was born in Kismet, Kansas, on March 24, 1925.
She studied piano and marimba during her school years in Kismet, and continued her piano studies at Colorado Women's College and at the University of Kansas. Her love of classical music continued to grow, with baroque chamber music becoming her favorite. Rediscovery of 1940's big band recordings added another dimension to her musical enjoyment.
She met Bob McJones, of Dodge City, Kansas, at KU when he returned from the war in late 1945. She demonstrated her courage and confidence during a forced landing in his small airplane prior to their marriage in Kismet on August 25, 1946. In later years, she displayed the same courage during their family adventures in boats, automobiles and motorhomes.
After Bob's graduation from KU in 1947, they moved to Pasadena for graduate study at Caltech. They stayed on in Southern California where Bob started with Douglas Aircraft and later became an independent engineering consultant.
She thoroughly enjoyed living in California. Nevertheless, she maintained close ties to her friends and relatives in Kansas and Missouri. She also enjoyed a brief sojourn in Columbus, Indiana, during 1960-61.
Norma Jeane concentrated on her chosen calling of wife and mother; but she found time for her friends, for her garden, and for a variety of needlework projects. In recent years, she specialized in quilt making, turning out a series of museum quality pieces. She supported the South Bay Quilters Guild, the Palos Verdes Art Center, and various musical activities.
She leaves her husband, Bob; her sister, Reta Jane Kane, of Liberal; four sons, Paul of Mountain View, Bruce of Grand Rapids, Justin of Portuguese Bend, and Stephen of San Pedro. She also leaves three granddaughters and two grandsons.
She studied piano and marimba during her school years in Kismet, and continued her piano studies at Colorado Women's College and at the University of Kansas. Her love of classical music continued to grow, with baroque chamber music becoming her favorite. Rediscovery of 1940's big band recordings added another dimension to her musical enjoyment.
She met Bob McJones, of Dodge City, Kansas, at KU when he returned from the war in late 1945. She demonstrated her courage and confidence during a forced landing in his small airplane prior to their marriage in Kismet on August 25, 1946. In later years, she displayed the same courage during their family adventures in boats, automobiles and motorhomes.
After Bob's graduation from KU in 1947, they moved to Pasadena for graduate study at Caltech. They stayed on in Southern California where Bob started with Douglas Aircraft and later became an independent engineering consultant.
She thoroughly enjoyed living in California. Nevertheless, she maintained close ties to her friends and relatives in Kansas and Missouri. She also enjoyed a brief sojourn in Columbus, Indiana, during 1960-61.
Norma Jeane concentrated on her chosen calling of wife and mother; but she found time for her friends, for her garden, and for a variety of needlework projects. In recent years, she specialized in quilt making, turning out a series of museum quality pieces. She supported the South Bay Quilters Guild, the Palos Verdes Art Center, and various musical activities.
She leaves her husband, Bob; her sister, Reta Jane Kane, of Liberal; four sons, Paul of Mountain View, Bruce of Grand Rapids, Justin of Portuguese Bend, and Stephen of San Pedro. She also leaves three granddaughters and two grandsons.
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