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Norma Jean Compton Hungate Degneau
November 10, 1946 - October 9, 2009
Norma Jean Hungate Degneau, age 62, Harrodsburg, wife of Duane Robert Degneau, died Friday, October 9, 2009 at the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, Danville, KY.
Born November 10, 1946 in Harrodsburg, KY, she was the daughter of Mary Rose Hendren Greene and the late Eugene Compton. She was a truck driver forTri-State Motor Transit, Missouri.
Survivors include: her husband: Duane Robert Degneau, and a son: Wayne Hungate of Harrodsburg, KY; mother: Mary Rose Hendren Greene; two sisters: Sherry (Greg) Butler of Louisville, Jane (Tom) of Lexington, 5 grandchildren 5 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 1:00 PM, Tuesday, October 13 at the Ransdell Funeral Chapel by Kenneth Whitehouse.
Pallbearers are: Ty Hungate, Cody Hungate, William Hungate, Ryan Degneau, Greg Butler and Bob Greene.
Visitation will be Monday, October 12 from 5 - 8 PM at the Ransdell Funeral Chapel, Harrodsburg, KY.
Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children's Hospital.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.ransdellfuneralchapel.com
Norma Jean Compton Hungate Degneau at the 9/12/09 HHS Class of 1964 45th Reunion
Below is a photo of Norma Compton and Dianne Shaw (back row) and Scottie Green (in front) when we were in the fourth grade. It was taken right after we moved to the new elementary school in, I'm guessing, 1956. For those who might want to know--her home address (where Con Gibson lived when we were growing up) is 583 Cane Run, Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Photo courtesy of Kay Foster. Archives courtesy of Scottie Newby.
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Marilyn Fern Graham (Gray)
Classmates,Oct. 12, 2009
Norma's family needs our prayers. The pain of loss and grief is overwhelming. Her husband Duane, mother Mary Rose, son Wayne, sisters Sherry and Jane & grandchildren. Norma lost her battle with cancer. But won the contest of life. She dearly loved her family. From the birth of her first granddaughter, Norma could not stop telling me how wonderful it is to be a
doting and very proud grandmother. I remember Norma telling me all about Amber. How beautiful she was and so adorable. Her love of family will carry her special memories in each and every one of them.
Norma introduced me to my beloved Tony. Just the memories we shared brings a smile to my face. She invited me many years ago to take a road trip west with her. She was driving a refrigerated semi at the time and made many trips west. She loved the travel and adventure. And wanted to share this with friends. One of the many memories is as follows.
I was driving the Ford Falcon. Dad had allowed me to drive it, only in Harrodsburg. I had picked up Norma to drive around town. Of course, somehow between us, we disconnected the mileage odometer in the little Ford, As we decided to drive to Danville and have a hamburger at the dairy queen there. The one on Maple Avenue was a great hang out for every teenager. We would see lots of people we knew ! As I was not allowed to leave Harrodsburg. I would be in trouble with my parents for not obeying their instructions. And Norma's grandmother would certainly not be pleased at all and I was driving.
It was a beautiful day in April, 1964. After we got back from Danville, we decided to go by the bowling alley in Harrodsburg. Norma and I were sitting in the parking lot working to reconnect to odometer when she saw Tony. I had no clue who Tony was, but Norma did and motioned him over to the car. She began by telling him our predicament. He agreed to help and easily reconnected it. As he was leaving he glanced at us with that "look". The look only an adult can give younger kids while shaking his head and smiling. Norma explained what a nice guy Tony was and thanked him. I didn't even know his last name. And soon forgot the episode, except we got the car fixed and I would not be in trouble!
We went into the bowing alley and were with friends from school. I have no memory of Tony again, until he was with Harry Wiley at Kay Keightley's 18th birthday party in the new shelter house behind Fort Harrod. Harry wanted to talk with Linda Logue and had driven to the party to be with her. Tony was with him. I'll share the rest of the story another time. But needless to say, Tony and I started dating and married July 5th, 1965. This would begin our lives together for the next 41 years. I love him dearly and will be with him again when my time comes.
I have wonderful memories of Norma and I together those teen years. My first memory of the Beatles was sitting so close to the TV in Onita Burtons home, next to Norma's grandmother on Litsey Avenue. Norma and I could not wait to see the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles came on. My heart has many more precious memories of Norma and I growing up. I was never with her later in life that we did not laugh about being together and all that we did those years. What we thought was "getting in trouble" was in reality nothing at all. Both of us had strict rules from my parents and her grandmother. Driving out of Harrodsburg was the worst thing we ever did. And I just knew my mother and her grandmother would not be pleasant about our little driving escapades.
She attended our 45th class reunion picnic on Sept. 11, 2009. She told everyone there about the cancer. She just found out the diagnosis was cancer that same afternoon. I talked with her on the 16th of September for a long time. She had just started oral chemotherapy 24 hours prior. She and Duane were going to the University of KY Medical Center to see an doctor for a second opinion. She was upbeat and sounded positive. She also described her problems beginning the oral chemotherapy. My heart sank, as I knew this did not sound good. But never let Norma know what was going through my mind. Tony had died of cancer in 2006. And I had been a nurse for 35 years. Chemotherapy is a double edged sword. I had many cancer patients over the years. But knew there had been great strides in cancer treatment since I retired.
As I had the flu, I did not want to get out, much less expose her to it. I hoped to visit her this week at her home on Cane Run. She lived next door to Mary and Nora Black. Mary is another classmate of ours. Norma and I had these wonderful memories together. She had a infectious laugh and looked like a model then and still did in September. She was so tall and beautiful I always pictured her walking down a runway, wearing the most exotic clothes when we were young.
She loved trucking with Duane. Their new job together was so special to her. They both looked forward to traveling together. Driving her semi was how she met Duane. They were meant to be together. Norma had the most beautiful soul. I know God's angels are guiding her home. Memories are your partner. Life must die. Love never does.
God's Peace and Blessings
Marilyn Graham Gray
Glenda Price Gammon (Waterfill)
Norma. we are going to miss you so much. You had so much courage to attend Friday night's reunion after just finding out you had liver cancer. It broke my heart to hear of your illness. But there you were smiling through your tears and said, you would not have missed this for anything. How brave you were. But you were like that in life. Always the same, whenever we saw you. Always smiling, always positive and always so friendly. We thank God that you have been a part of our lives and that you have touched us in so many different ways. We will always love and remember you and you will be sorely missed from our presence.Love,
Glenda