Norma Evelyn Cordingley Gould

Norma Evelyn Cordingley Gould June 15, 1933 - April 10, 2025 Norma Gould, 91, of South Ogden passed away peacefully at Petersen Farms Assisted Living surrounded by family on April 10, 2025. She was born to Ferne and Glen Cordingley in Saint Anthony, Idaho on June 15, 1933. 

After graduating from Ogden High, she was accepted into one of the first classes of the St. Benedict’s School of Nursing, fulfilling her long time ambition to become a nurse like her aunt, Evelyn. Nursing education then was very different from current nurse training. The school required complete, around the clock dedication. The students were required to live in the hospital dormitories alongside the nuns and often had to take care of polio patients in iron lungs. Only 357 nurses graduated from that program during its over twenty years of operation. 

After beginning her career as a nurse, she married the love of her life Lavern Gould on November 15, 1955, being introduced by mutual friends. They honeymooned at a recently opened amusement park called Disneyland. Children soon followed, and Norma left nursing to dedicate her full efforts to her growing family, holding down the fort while Lavern was out of town for his job on the railroad. After her youngest child started elementary school, she made the courageous decision to resume her nursing career. This transition was not easy. Nursing and medicine had changed dramatically since she had left, but Norma persevered and succeeded. She enjoyed the challenge of being a float nurse where the job could be quite different depending on the unit she was working.

 Norma was an active member of the Ogden First Presbyterian Church for 76 years. During those years she served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher, and was active in the Cub Scout program, the prayer shawl team, the yearly rummage sale and the Presbyterian Women’s Association where she held the positions of President, Secretary and Treasurer.

 She and her mother would can fruit every summer and fall. Starting with cherries, they would work together to also preserve apricots, peaches, pears, grapes, and tomatoes. She would often flavor and color the pears to produce a rainbow of colors with a variety of flavors like cinnamon and mint.

 Norma enjoyed many hobbies through the years. While her children were young, she belonged to a bowling league at Hilltop Lanes. She enjoyed the socializing as much or more than the challenge of improving her technique and score. She was also an active crafter, enjoying knitting, tole painting, plastic canvas stitching and various other creative activities.

 After her father’s passing in 1970, Norma became her mother’s constant companion and support. Her mother never learned to drive, so chauffeur became one of Norma’s jobs too.

 She and her husband founded the Utah Allegro Bees Motorhome Chapter. She loved the camaraderie of traveling with the group to many different places, including spending winters in the Arizona desert after she was retired.

 Since they shared their anniversary with Disneyland, Norma and Lavern celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries with Disneyland themed parties. They ultimately had 62 happy years together until Lavern passed away in July 2019.

 Norma is survived by her five children: Brian (Jeanni Hepworth), Peggy Macfarlane (Jim), Russell, Jeff, and Cheryl Beazer (Blaine); ten grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren. She is proceeded in death by her husband, parents, and brother Gerald.

 Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 880 28th Street, Ogden. Friends may visit with the family Thursday from 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. and Friday 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the church. Internment will be at Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd., South Ogden.

 If you would like to show your support for Norma, please contribute to First Presbyterian Church at the address above or at www.fpcogden.org. Its sanctuary needs new paraments (linens for the pulpit and communion table) that mark the seasons in the liturgical calendar.

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