Norma Jean Bappe, 78, of Lexington, Nebraska, passed away Monday, April 15, 2013, at Help for Health Hospice Home in Riverton, Wyoming.     

Norma Jean Henderson was born September 9, 1934, to Ross and Faye (Goedert) Henderson in Lexington, Nebraska. She graduated from Lexington High School in 1952. She lived in and around Lexington her entire life with the exception of the last three weeks when she moved to Riverton, Wyoming and Help for Health Hospice.     

She married Robert "Bob" Bappe on September 29, 1953, and had two children; Michael and Mark. After 55 years of marriage, Bob passed away in 2008. Norma spent 10 years with Northwestern Bell as a telephone operator and it was while at this job that she and Bob met. Bob was a clerk with the Union Pacific Railroad and they often spoke on the phone as Bob was making long-distance business calls.     

Norma enjoyed people. She was easy to be with and enjoyed living a simple, frugal life. One of her great pleasures was digging up an old coin found using her metal detector, another was discovering a piece of depression glass at a garage sale. She spent much of her life volunteering with the hospital auxiliary, Red Cross and was a mentor at the Morton/Sandoz Elementary for many years. The latter gave her special pleasure and she often spoke about the children that she hoped to have positively influenced. Her two boys were in the center of her heart and she was always their cheerleader. She was a member of the Evangelical Free Church.     

Her mother, father and only sibling, Duane Henderson also preceded her in death.     

Survivors include her two children Mike, his wife Sandra of rural Cozad, NE and Mark and his wife Becky of rural Riverton, WY. She had four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a special nephew, Greg Henderson and wife Kathy of Kearney, NE.     

Funeral Services will be Saturday, April 20, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church in Lexington, Nebraska with Pastor Duane Russell officiating. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington. Visitation will be held Friday, April 19, 2013, from 5-7 p.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington. Memorials are suggested to the Evangelical Free church. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family through: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.