Norene Patricia Graham was born March 4, 1938, in Lincoln, to Donald and Melvina (Morgan) Smith and passed away Sept. 28, 2023, in Seward, at the age of 85 years, 6 months, and 24 days.
Norene formerly lived in Lincoln, Omaha, and Texas before making the move to Ulysses to care for her mother. She eventually moved to Seward in 2007, where she was employed at Gas-N-Snaks until 2022. She loved chatting it up with all her regular customers.
Norene was quite a collector of Emmett Kelly clowns and helped to keep the “Bradford Exchange” company in business. She loved watching golf on TV, and especially loved Nebraska women’s volleyball and The Voice. She loved to read a good romance novel as well as work crossword and jigsaw puzzles. Every year on her birthday and Mother’s Day, her family would take her to the boats in Iowa. She looked forward to making the rounds in Seward to purchase lottery tickets and scratch offs.
Norene loved being with her family the most and never missed celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays or a special occasion. She was not just a neighbor to the tenants at her apartment complex, but a friend who would leave goodies outside their door or in the front hallway for anyone to grab. She will be missed by many.
Norene was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Donald E. Smith.
Survivors cherishing her memory include her son, Martin Weber and wife, Nancy, Lincoln; grandson, Curtis Weber and wife, Katie, Omaha; great-grandson, Charlie Weber; sister, Bonnie Hemenez, South Carolina; one niece, many nephews and a host of friends.
The funeral service was Oct. 3 with interment at the Union Cemetery in Dwight. Memorial contributions are suggested to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Arrangements by Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home.
