The 91-year-old grandmother who became a social media sensation when she documented her bucket list road trip on Facebook has died.
Norma Jean Bauerschmidt opted to hit the road in a trailer with her son, Tim, and daughter-in-law, Ramie when she was diagnosed with uterine cancer last year, instead of having radiation and chemotherapy.
As her Facebook page, Driving Miss Norma, explains she was diagnosed shortly after her husband of 67 years, Leo, died. “When the doctor was finished he asked her how she would like to proceed.” Ramie writes.
“A tiny woman at 101 pounds and under five-feet tall, an exhausted Norma looked the young doctor dead in the eye and with the strongest voice she could muster, said, ‘I’m 90-years-old, I’m hitting the road. The doc and the confused first-day medical student who was shadowing him looked at Tim and me for some clarification.
“We ‘got it’ and were in complete support of her decision.”
And so Norma, Tim and Ramie jumped in the mobile home and started driving, experiencing all sorts of adventures and collecting thousands of Facebook fans along the way. Her desire to keep having adventures until the end inspired people around the world. Until the weekend when Norma died at a hospice.
The messages of condolence and grief are now flooding in from around the world.
“Can’t be there but my thanks for having all of us on your amazing journey. We should all be so blessed to have adventures like miss Norma did. God bless you and keep you safe.”
“Oh Miss Norma… Thank you for sharing your joy, and your family, with us. Helen Keller once said: ‘What we once enjoyed and deeply loved, we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.’ You became part of us.”
“I loved reading your adventures with Miss Norma. Thank you for sharing. I will miss your Facebook posts. You made my day a little happier.”
“Oh, Miss Norma, you will be missed by millions! You have made me laugh, cry, smile and giggle more than I have in a long time. You’ve made me see life in a whole different perspective, and I thank you! Rest well, Miss Norma. Rest in peace.”
A tour through the Driving Miss Norma page shows a fun-loving, straight-talking woman who remained up for an adventure, a beer and smile until the end.
Her bio summed her up as this: “Norma loves rock hounding, basket making, knitting, reading, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, tea, beer, sweet wine, and traveling! She has always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon and would love to go to the moon!”
Looks like she achieved her hot air balloon dream. RIP Miss Norma.
