Norma Jean Anderson, 82, of Albin, WY, passed away Saturday, May 15, 2010.

She was born August 5, 1927, to Roy and Florence (Dunlevy) Scharnhorst in Holden, MO.  As a child she moved to Kimball, NE in 1930 with her family and later to La Grange, WY in 1937 where she grew up and graduated from high school.

In 1946, she married her one and only true love, Edwin  “Buster” A. Anderson and honeymooned throughout the southwest, celebrating their wedding and their love.  Eddie and Norma Jean lived all of their lives in their cherished home at Albin, where they made their living farming and ranching.  Their relationship grew and remained strong through many interests and challenges during their life together.  They celebrated 54 years of love and friendship together before Buster passed away on August 5, 2000.

In 1948, she celebrated the arrival of her only child, Terry.  He was the light of their lives, and from childhood through adulthood she was right there to support and cheer him in all of his activities.  A familiar figure at his baseball, basketball games, and many horseshoe tournaments, Norma Jean always had a smile and encouraging word for him.   At the mention of Terry’s name she would smile with pride and joy, she was an amazing mother who loved her son with all her heart.

She spent over 30 years at the Albin School providing healthy meals for the students, starting as the assistant cook and working into the head cook position.  The true joy in her career came from watching the children she loved grow and graduate, moving on to start lives of their own, often staying in communication with many of them.  She also wrote Albin’s local news for the Pine Bluffs Post and other area papers.  Monday found her calling her friends and neighbors for their latest news and announcements, enjoying the chance to catch up with the week’s events.

She loved spending time with family and friends, remaining loyal and devoted to her husband after he suffered from a stroke, caring for him for 22 years until his passing.  She was a joyful, uplifting woman who enjoyed getting out and going with family and friends.  Taking every opportunity she had to spend time with her family and friends, she was often on the road traveling to see friends, granddaughters, or son.  She was active and full of life in her home community with neighbors and friends. Whether working in the yard or whipping up something delicious in the kitchen, she put her heart into everything she did.  She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend to all those that she met and whose lives she touched with her loving and caring personality.  She will be greatly missed but always remembered and held within our hearts.

She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Linda Anderson of Sheridan, WY; granddaughter Tana Bahruth and husband, Josh, of Canyon, TX and granddaughter Jenna Anderson of Culbertson, MT; great-grandson, Ryddek Bahruth; sister and brother-on-law, Dorothy and Kenneth Sanders of Kennewick, WA; brother Roy L. Scharnhorst of Kennewick, WA; and brother and sister-in-law Wayne and Marty Sharnhorst of Douglasville, GA.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and two brothers, Oscar and Dale Scharnhorst.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Schrader Funeral Home with a graveside service to follow at 1:00 p.m. at Lakeview Cemetery.  Following the service, Norma Jean’s life will be celebrated at a reception at the Albin School Gym at 3:00 p.m.

Expressions of sympathy in Norma Jean’s memory may be made to the Albin Ambulance Fund or the Cheyenne Animal Shelter.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Schrader Funeral Home, Cheyenne, Wyoming.