Norma Storer Christensen Radford, 81, passed away on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at The Gables of Idaho Falls Assisted Living Center.  Norma was born on November 8, 1939, in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Lorus and Vera May Storer.  Norma was the 5 ^th of 8 children.  Norma attended schools in Idaho Falls and graduated from Bonneville High School in 1958.  Norma married Max Louis Christensen on April 17, 1959 and lived in Idaho Falls.  Norma and Max were blessed with 4 children: Karen, Terrel, Greg, and Sherri.  Max passed away unexpectedly in January 1995.  Norma married Ken Radford on September 12, 1997.  At that time, she was blessed with 4 bonus children: Michelle, Lee, Jill, and John.  Norma and Ken lived in Idaho Falls but did spend 18 months in the Tampa Florida Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2002 and 2003.  Ken sadly passed away on July 3, 2020.

While growing up, Norma was involved in the pep club and cheerleading.  After graduation, she worked at Kresses Variety Store as an assistant cashier.  She worked for many years as a dental assistant for Dr. Harrison.  She later worked at the Huntsman Pre-School and then moved on to Eagle Rock Jr. High in the Special Education Department for 17 years.

Norma's hobbies were gardening, music, and crocheting.  She volunteered in the Museum of Idaho, the Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center, and the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.  She found great joy working in her flower and vegetable garden.  She also loved visiting with the many neighbors and friends from the neighborhood and dedicated all the time she could to supporting her grandchildren in their activities.

Norma is survived by her children: Karen Nelson, Greg (Lachelle) Christensen, Sherri (Ryan) Webster all of Idaho Falls and Terrel (Lori Bassity) Christensen of Tremonton, Utah; her brother, Brad Storer of Idaho Falls; her stepchildren: Michelle (Kelly) Mallard, Lee (Wendie) Radford, Jill (Eric) Mugleston, and John (Melanie) Radford; as well as 25 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren with 2 unborn babies coming in the spring of 2021.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her twin sisters; her husbands: Max Christensen and Ken Radford; as well 7 siblings and 1 grandson.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center, 1415 Northgate Mile, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, or online at https://ifareahumanitariancenter.org/donate . The family would like to thank The Gables of Idaho Falls, Alliance Hospice, and the many family and friends who have provided great love and care these past several months.

Private family services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 22, 2020.  You can view the service on the Coltrin Mortuary Facebook page by going to https://fb.me/e/YYaDAyFj . Interment will be at the Ucon Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to www.coltrinmortuary.com .

Life Sketch

Norma Storer Christensen Radford

On Wednesday, November 8, 1939, there was a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany.  Later that day, in a little hospital along the river in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Norma Storer was born to Lorus and Vera May Storer.

Norma was the 5 ^th child in the family.  Her siblings are Dean, Beth, Don, and Claude.  In June of 1945, Norma can remember her dad coming home one day and telling her about "having twin sisters and they were too little and died."  Norma can remember seeing Marie and Mary's tiny little bodies in the little casket.

The next year, in March 1946, Lorus' brother, Dell, and sister-in-law, Margaret, had a little boy.  Margaret died a month after this baby was born.  Before her death, it was Margaret's desire that if something happened to her, and if the baby was a boy, she wanted Lorus and Vera May to raise the baby.  This they did and raised Brad with all the love of a natural parent.  Brad is the last survivor of these great siblings today.

While growing up, Norma loved playing in the fields, climbing trees, eating the green apples and tomatoes from the garden, and catching minnows in the canals.  They were farmers.  Norma had the job to keep the wood box filled.  She helped in the fields by pulling weeds with her dad and driving the tractor during the harvest.  She helped pick and clean hundreds of chickens for the freezer.  She would get bum lambs in the spring and would feed them on a bottle.  She helped her mom do canning and, because her hands were small, she got to clean ALL the bottles.  Even as a child, Norma loved seeing the basement shelves and freezer full for the winter.

Norma and her family went to church in the old Milo church building where they would have a spook alley in the basement.  They would set up chairs in a large room for church and when there was a dance or activity they put the chairs around the outside walls.  They even had the 4 ^th of July rodeos at the church grounds.

Norma and her friends would go to Ririe roller skating and sometimes to the dances.  On Saturdays they would go to Idaho Falls, but only after the housework was done.

In the fall they had 2 weeks off school for the potato harvest.  She picked potatoes in hot weather, rain, snow, and wind.  The Saturday before she went back to school she would go shopping for school clothes.  While in high school, blond furniture was in style and when she and Max got married it was still stylish.  They bought a blonde bedroom set that they still had when dad died, about 35 years later.

While in junior high, Norma got diphtheria.  She was tested, and her mother did not hear anything, so she sent Norma back to school.  That day, the doctor called and said mom was positive, so she had to leave school.  Everyone in the school had to get a diphtheria shot, including Max.  Norma was very glad Max did not yet know who she was.

Norma went to Bonneville High School her sophomore and junior years.  A new high school was built and in 1958 she was in the first graduating class of that school.  This building is now Rocky Mountain Junior High.

When Norma was a sophomore, she met Max Christensen.  They started dating in 1957.  Max and Norma were married on April 17, 1959.  That fall, Norma broke a tooth from a BB in a pheasant they ate.  She went to the dentist she had been to while growing up, Dr. Harrison.  His assistant was expecting a baby and he asked if Norma would like to work for him.  2 weeks later she started working as a dental assistant and substituted for many years.

Because of the turmoil, the world was in during this time, it was expected that Max would be drafted into the army.  He ended up joining the National Guard for 6 years.  How grateful they were that he was not involved in any active wars.

Max had a younger sister, Jean, who unfortunately was never in good health and could not walk.  When Karen was born in 1962, Max had not been around babies, aside from Jean.   When he would hold Karen, his body was stiff, and he carried her like a China Doll.

Norma and Max lived in Idaho Falls in an apartment not far from the LDS Temple.  Norma was a visiting teacher at a home on Wadsworth Drive.  Norma liked that house and when she saw a 'For Sale' sign there, she hurried Max over to see it.  They moved into the house on December 1, 1964.  Their 2 ^nd child, Terrel, was born a month later in January 1965.  While living in that house, Norma loved to spend time gardening and being in the yard.

Norma's father, Lorus, got sick in 1964 and died late in that year.  She saw the sorrow of her mom.  Yet, Vera May was a strength to all of us.  Vera was alone for about 22 years and Norma was able to spend a lot of time with her and help her out.  Vera passed away in 1988.  In 2009 Norma wrote, "When she died, my hero was gone.  And my goal was to be as good a person as her.  I'm still working on that".  Norma's children find the joy that she succeeded in that goal.

In August 1969, a third child was born they named Greg.  A few years later, in March 1973, Sherri was born, the 4 ^th and youngest child.  During these several years, Norma was able to be a stay-at-home mom.  A quote from mom's journal dated 6 September 1979: "When Sherri was born, Max and I figured that when Sherri started 1 ^st grade, Karen would be a Senior.  Today all our children started school and I went shopping alone!  I thought I would like shopping without one of the kids.  But I really didn't.  In fact, I had a lump in my throat."

Norma also wrote that the kids were involved in scouting, Young Women's, and school activities.  "I think one of my best years was when Karen was a Senior and Sherri in first grade and Terrel and Greg in between.  We were a complete family and life was good."

The kids continued to grow and eventually marry and move out of the home.  Karen was first and her husband, Eric, eventually joined the army.  For 3 years, they were stationed in Germany.  Norma and Max were able to go visit them and she loved the visit there.

Terrel and Greg graduated high school and went on missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Following that, they each moved out of the home.  Sherri graduated from high school and eventually moved out as well.  The kids were married, and grandchildren came along.

On a wintery Saturday morning in January 1995, Max went out to clean some snow off the driveway and sidewalks around the home.  He came in and they were going to do some shopping when Max unexpectedly had a heart attack.  He died the next day on January 8, 1995.  Never was there a hole in a family so great… Until the passing of mom nearly 26 years after Max.

Norma loved having grandchildren around as much as possible.  The biggest smiles came when these kids came over to visit.  There were 3 grandchildren born before Max died.  A 4 ^th came about a month after.  In all, Norma had 13 grandchildren.

In 1997, Ken Radford gave mom a call.  The Radford family had been family friends and had even lived on the same street when the children were small.  Norma wrote in 2009 that she told Ken she did not want to remarry.  And with that, they were married in September 1997 beginning 22 years together.

This was wonderful for Norma as Ken had 4 adult kids, Michelle, Lee, Jill, and John.  With 4 bonus children, this meant even more grandchildren for Norma to love and be close to.  At the time of Norma's death, they had a combined 25 grandchildren with 13 great-grandchildren and 2 more to be delivered in the spring of 2021.

In 2003, Ken and Norma were called to the Tampa Florida Mission to serve in assisting with housing for the workers on the farm.  This farm was designed to provide food for welfare purposes.  They also taught the young children English, making friends among the workers they lived with, and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They loved the good people of Tampa, Florida, and had a significant impact on many lives.

Upon returning to Idaho Falls, Ken and Norma took up residence on Scorpius Avenue in the Mountain View Ward.  They gained many friends in this new ward where they loved serving their neighbors in all sorts of ways.  Norma loved spending time in her flower garden, vegetable garden, and raspberry patch.  She loved hosting the annual leaf party involving the grandkids and neighbor children where she would hide candy bars among the leaves.  She continued serving in the church and donated her time and talents to humanitarian efforts.  Mostly, she enjoyed spending time with the children and grandchildren from hers and Ken's families.  She loved holidays and used any excuse for a family party.  In addition to the holiday parties, she hosted parties for Summer Solstice, Cinco De Mayo, spring parties with releasing ladybugs, and watermelon busts, and her sibling Family Home Evening parties.

In 2016, Ken suffered a health setback and began to slow down for the first time in his life.  After spending 16 months at Tambree Meadows Assisted Living Center, he passed away on July 3, 2020.  Norma was a devoted and caring wife and was resistant to letting him go to a care center.  But the realization that she was unable to care for his needs made this necessary.  She visited him regularly and was devoted to him to the end.

In July 2019, Norma had a fall which resulted in a broken elbow.  Following several weeks at Promontory Point Rehab Center, Norma moved into the Gables of Idaho Falls Assisted Living Center.  She was in a safe and caring place with the Gables but the last year she talked so much of her home she dearly missed.

The last few months of 2020 were difficult for Norma.  The COVID-19 world pandemic resulted in many being unable to get out and visit with family and loved ones.  Over the course of these past few months, she missed this so very much.

Her love for her Savior Jesus Christ never wavered.  She remained a faithful follower of Jesus throughout her life.  She will be missed greatly by us but has returned home to her loving husband, parents, siblings, and many friends.  May God bless Norma.