Obituaries

Barbara Lee Sweiger Norris

Photo of Barbara Lee Sweiger Norris
Barbara Lee Sweiger Norris, 78, of Bella Vista passed away Wednesday August 24th, 2016 in Bentonville at Circle of Life Hospice. She was born in Lake City, Iowa on October 27, 1937 to Robert and Ethel O'Connor. She spent most of her formative years in Fort Dodge, Iowa where she was a cheerleader and known as "Bubbles" graduating in 1955. She graduated from Briar Cliff College in 1959 with a BSN degree and worked as a nurse for 35 years. While she worked as a nurse in several capacities including, hospitals, and doctors' offices, she was an Industrial Nurse for Rockwell Collins for 25 years retiring as head nurse. While she liked many card games and golf and supporting University of Iowa and University of Arkansas sports and volunteer work, her favorite time was when she was helping someone with their health issues. She was known to tell people at gatherings or strangers on the street that they needed to have a doctor look at some condition that she suspected they might have. She married Jerome Sweiger in 1960 in Fort Dodge at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Two sons were born of this union as they traveled around for job relocations until they settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They retired to Bella Vista, Ark. in 1993. She lost Jerome, the love of her life, to cancer in 2008. She married Paul Norris in 2011 in Savannah, Ga. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and they lived in Bella Vista supporting each other and loving each other until it was time for her to rejoin Jerry. She was preceded in death by her parents and two infant sons. She is survived by her husband of the home; two sons, Michael (Jolaine) Sweiger, Des Moines, Iowa, and Patrick (Elaine) Sweiger, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; sisters, Shirley Heitzman (Al), Dubuque, Iowa and Debra (Jeffrey) Gustafson, Dubuque, Iowa; sister-in-law, Helen Ann (Steve) Conner, Maywood, Ore.; grandchildren, Jilaine, Jason, Jeramy, Audrey, Adam and Amanda and great-grandchildren Laina and Calan and many nieces and nephews. Paul provided five children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild to her. Rosary will be said at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 30th followed by the Mass of Resurrection at St Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church in Bella Vista, officiated by Father Barnabas. Interment will be next to Jerry in the church columbarium. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Circle of Life Hospice at Legacy Village, 1201 NE Legacy Parkway, Bentonville, Ark. 72712. Arrangements are under the direction of Bella Vista Funeral Home & Crematory. On-line condolences may be made at www.funeralmation.com.

Published August 27, 2016

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