To Norma

article and illustration by Lou Davenport

I was so saddened to hear about the passing of Betty White, this past New Year’s Eve. Betty had been of my heroes. So talented, charming and above all, hilarious. Her sense of timing was uncanny and it sounds like anyone who had the pleasure to work with her said she was a joy!

When I was thinking of this month’s column, my own version of “Betty White” came to mind.  Her name was Norma McKee and she and her daughter, Penny became two of my dearest friends when I lived in Vicksburg. She passed away on February 27, 2020 and there’s not a day that I haven’t missed her.

At first when I wanted to write about Norma, the words just wouldn’t come. The best I could do was write a few words on my Simply Lou FB page. But, it’s time that I write about the woman who became like a second mother to me. So, like the title says, “To Norma!”

I first met Norma McKee not too long after I moved to Vicksburg.  She and her daughter, Penny McKee Downey had bought a frame shop from another good friend, Patti Webb. Penny had learned to frame and Norma was a master of going to market and finding gifts, collectibles and all kinds if “cool stuff.” 

My first impression of Norma, was that she was like a “tornado!”  She could outwork 10 people and never break a sweat! She never met a stranger and could talk to a brick wall. She loved to laugh and carry on all kinds of “mess”  and I adored her!

The shop had several locations, but they finally settled into one on Mission 66.  It was perfect for all the gifts and “goodies” in the front of the frame shop in the back room.  There was even a basement with plenty of storage.

When I first met Norma and Penny, they had just opened the shop that they named “Riverbend Galleries.” I instantly felt like kindred spirits with those two. They took me in just like family and I felt the same, and I still do!

  I would eventually become one of their featured artists. I would bring work in and Penny would frame it. I was down there so much, they finally just hired me! And since Norma was a “super saleswoman,” she sold just about every painting I brought!

When the shop really “took off,” Penny hired Mary Ellen Wells.  Mary Ellen was such a talented framer but eventually remarried, moved to Texas and is quite the accomplished artist in her own right! I’m so proud of her and I know Norma would be!

Norma always saw the potential in others. She taught me how to decorate a Christmas tree… the “Norma Way!” She’d make you wrap those lights around and around and around those branches til you were about “blue in the face!”  Every year when I get my tree out, I think of her… and how she’d probably “fuss” because I sure don’t wrap those branches with lights anymore! But, she always made it up to me.  When she’d go to market, she’d find some of the strangest and most decorative, vines, garlands etc. for me.  She knew I would go “wild” over those and I must say, “Riverbend Gallery” had the prettiest trees in Vicksburg!

Norma and Penny were the first to have “Christopher Radko” ornaments. Radko still makes those but, he has also bought “Shiny Brites.” I was lucky enough to buy a few of those and year before last, a friend gave me some of the “Shiny Brites!”  I think my favorite though, is a “Radko Pickle” ornament.  The legend is that whoever finds “the pickle,” gets to buy presents for everyone the next Christmas.

By then, Janine Fant had started working at the store. Janine pretty much handled all the gift shop for Norma.  We became the best of friends, too, and had so much fun checking in the new stock and rearranging the store.  She’s another dear friend that I would have never met had it not been for “Riverbend Gallery.” Janine recently moved back to Vicksburg after living in Georgia near Senoia, where “The Walking Dead” is filmed. (And yes, she did meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan, also known as “Neagan!)

When my husband, Larry was ill, Norma lead the “charge” to look out for me, and, I needed that! I remember Norma and Penny bringing several bags of groceries over, and I’ll never forget that there was a bag of “Pecan Sandies” in the bag. Every time I see those cookies at the store, I smile and call them “Norma cookies.”

Some of my best memories of Norma was her laugh! I still laugh every time I say or hear “Kiss my A*#!” We both would say that to each other every time we saw each other. When she and her husband Bob, had their 50th anniversary, Penny wanted me to write something to them. And, of course I ended it with, “Happy Anniversary you two,” and to Norma, you can “kiss my ass!” Penny said, she roared with laughter and said “That crazy thang!”

She said so many funny things, especially over her coffee creamer.  Once I brought some of the cheaper coffee creamer and she just about had a fit! and of course, she said, “Lou! I don’t know why you don’t bring Coffee Mate!” Well, thanks to her, that’s all I buy and still do! She loved her Bunn coffee maker and I’ve bought two myself! Like I said, I learned a lot from Norma.

One day, for some reason, I started calling her, “Norma Jean.” It stuck and I still call her that.  I told her that it was because she reminded me of “Marilyn Monroe!”  Another good laugh we had!

I was a huge fan of wrestling back “when wrestling was fun.” I dearly loved a big, bald, cussin, beer drinking wrestler named Stone Cold Steve Austin. Norma got the biggest kick out of picking at me about me and my “rasslin.” So I invited everybody over to my house one night, near Christmas, and I gave a “Christmas Wrestling Party!” Everybody took home a gold ornament with “Christmas Wrestlin” and the year on it! (Penny recently sent me a picture of hers on her tree!) Norma finally saw how much fun wrestling was and I do believe she got up and hollered at the TV a few times just like I did

After I moved to Monroe, I didn’t get to see Norma much. I missed her, too. But when I made the decision to remarry, she and Janine surprised me by coming to my wedding. But, when I saw them, for a split second, I wanted to grab them and run! Be a runaway bride! But, sadly, I didn’t (I have wondered many times was that a premonition?). I only stayed married for just a few years and it ended in divorce.

Knowing Norma has been such a delight. That describes her, a delight. She has been a major figure in my life. I know she is having the best time up in Heaven and she is “sporting’ some mighty fine wings. I hope she’s met my mama. Those two would be two of God’s best angels, but, they’d also be mischief makers! Nothin’ wrong with that!

There are still so many more stories to tell about Norm, I just don’t have room. I’ll close with saying she loved me. She loved her husband, Bob McKee, her sister, Katherine, her kids: Penny, Jan and Bobby Wayne, her grandkids: Bradley, Neal, Jessica, Derek and Amy Claire, her great grand kids, Mary Ellen, Janine, and everybody she probably ever met. And I cannot think of anyone that didn’t love her right back!

She was and will always be, “Norma Jean… the woman, the myth and the legend.” My “very own Betty White!”

 “Fly High You Crazy Diamond!” – Pink Floyd