Norma Jean DeGroote, age 96 of Florence went to be with her Lord, Jesus Christ on Sunday, July13, 2025. She went peacefully with an anticipatory upward looking gleam in her pretty blue eyes. Norma was born in Fresno and grew up enjoying hiking in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains with her family. She later moved to San Diego and spent a large portion of her life there. She married her husband David, of over 50 years, and they settled in a beautiful home in Point Loma where they enjoyed the spectacular fireworks every July 4th over San Diego Bay. After David retired, they bought another home in Florence and were warmly welcomed by many new friends.

Norma loved to be with family. She regularly attended USC and San Diego Charger football games with family and got to experience seeing Europe with David from a river boat. She went backpacking with her son Robert and snow skied and kayaked with him well into her 80’s. She would talk about a shared love of horses with her daughter-in-law and was very proud of her stepson Brad and his children as they grew up. She also liked to catch a few waves bodysurfing on family trips to Hawaii. She didn’t need to wait for a special occasion to take her daughter Jeana or granddaughter Jayna to the mall shopping.

Norma had many special friendships. She always looked forward to regular appointments at the Beauty shop in Florence and was also especially fond of several in-home caregivers. She would chat about her favorite Broadway shows, share a Wendy’s Carmel frosty or some strawberry ice cream. It was not out of place for her to offer a little snuggle to those around her.

She enjoyed music and art and loved playing the piano. Those around soon found themselves in the mood to hum along with the notes filling the air when she played. If not playing the piano, she would just join in with one of her special friends singing, “You are my sunshine my only sunshine…”. She served her Lord Jesus Christ singing in the choirs of Shadow Mountain/Scott Memorial Baptist in San Diego and the choir and SPWC at Woodmont Baptist Church here in Florence. She also created/painted amazing and sometimes “wild” props and costumes for church performances. She even served in a church sponsored “doll” ministry. Her love for painting and art fueled her unique creative expression that graced both conventional canvases and plastered walls in her Pt. Loma and Florence homes. Her artwork was even commissioned for one or two private residences. She had a creative knack for transforming inconspicuous spaces into one of a kind artistic niches making them “come alive”. Her art creativity overflowed into what was a “one of a kind” waiting area at their San Diego dental office. Norma was “a true artist in every sense and poured her heart into her artwork finding joy in life’s simple, beautiful things and leaving behind a more beautiful world because she was in it.”

Norma was wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother to her blended family that includes her loving husband David, her son Robert, Tina, son Greg, her son Brad, Genna, her daughter Jeana Ann, grandsons Ian and Parker, and granddaughters Jayna, (Jay), Anna and Amy, and her grandson Caleb. Her family life had many joys and its share of challenges. But God is good and through David and Norma’s faithfulness to each other for 50 plus years her family knows our Savior Jesus Christ

and the reality of His sacrifice on Calvary and the promise of eternal life through His death and resurrection for those that receive Him and believe in His name. God has gifted their Florence household over recent years with a cadre of exceptional and chosen care givers. God’s blessing has made and continues to make remaining in their home a reality which, continues now for her husband David: the love of her life.

A Memorial service will be announced in August and will be held at Woodmont Baptist Church, 2001 Darby Dr, Florence.