Obituary of Norma Jean Biro
Norma Jean Biro (nee Babcock) was born May 23, 1949 in Melville, a daughter of Earl and Ethel (nee Toth) Babcock. Norma completed school in Melville and continued to teach figure skating and working at Dairy Queen. She married Douglas Keith Biro August 2, 1969 and moved to the Biro family farm south of Willowbrook. They had two children Kimberly Ann in 1971 and Keith Everett in 1973. Norma and Doug had a mixed grain and livestock farm including milk cows, chickens, and hogs in the early years. Norma worked off farm at the Imperial 400 Motel in Yorkton for many years.
Norma enjoyed the country side while also adapting to the farm life style. Ethel married to Paul Tank in 1970 and both were perfect to encourage Norma through butchering, gardening, and picking berries while making home grown food. Norma and Doug found less time for activities like curling and going to dances. She began working off farm and raising kids with Kim into 4H and horses and Keith into hockey and baseball. She took the kids camping and visited family in Melville often. As her family matured Norma loved gathering ideas to landscape the yard and improvements to the home her and Doug built in 1978. There was no room, wall color, or decoration that stayed looking the same in that house for very long! She also found time to travel to national figure skating events and never missed watching figure skating on TV. When grandchildren came along, she attended many of their events and activities while passing along her competitive nature and belief to try your hardest at whatever you do.
Norma always challenged herself and had a stubborn never give up mind set. Genealogy become her top focus for many years tracing the family tree and travelling to meet distant relatives for written and oral history of the Babcock and Biro families. This did not come easy for her learning how to use a laptop, getting dial up internet service at the farm, and then consolidating all of the information she gathered. Norma knew she had early stages of Alzheimer’s and that signaled it was time to satisfy her goal and complete a binder of her work for each grandchild.
Norma and Doug moved from the family farm in May 2020 to the Bentley retirement home in Yorkton. Due to declining health Norma’s wish was to enter the St Paul Lutheran Home in Melville where she had a short stay of six months. We greatly appreciate the care they provided on Academy Lane.
Norma leaves to cherish her memory her husband Doug of 55 years, her daughter Kim Fairburn (Doug) and granddaughters Victoria and Sidney, her son Keith and grandsons Kyle (Megan), Jarret, and Kirk, her great granddaughter Macee, her siblings William (Lorna) and Eugene (Dianne), sister in law Helen, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends. Predeceased by her parents Earl and Ethel, her stepdad Paul, and her brother Roger.
A Memorial Service for Norma was held on Wednesday March 20, 2024, from Yorkton Memorial Gardens Family Centre with Shelly Morris officiating. Accompanist Amanda Buhler led the congregation in the hymns "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace". Kyle Biro acted as Urn Bearer.
Interment will be held at a later date.
