Norma Isabelle Smith ²

  General Notes:

Norma Isabelle Smith Leas

Born in Butler, IN Dec. 2nd 1921.

Passed away, Aug. 3, 2019 at age 97.

Isabelle passed away quietly in her sleep at her home in Thousand Oaks, California.She had a full and beautiful life. She grew up on a family farm, then moved to California in 1942. She worked at Gainesbourgh Photography Studio in Long Beach as a colorist, hand-tinting black and white portraits. She met and married Lawrence E. Leas, from Ashley, Indiana. He had moved to the San Fernando Valley as a young aeronautical engineer in the aircraft industry. They were married at the Methodist Church in Hollywood. In 1953 they moved to Simi Valley and were long-time members of the Methodist Church.

Almost every year they traveled back to Indiana to visit with relatives. Their children developed a deeper sense of belonging playing with cousins on the farm. Aunts, uncles and many cousins created loving memories and friendships that have lasted and continued to this day.

Isabelle loved to cook, using many of the fruits and vegetables from her garden. She also enjoyed taking classes in artistic endeavors, such as cake decorating, tailoring, hula dancing and oil painting, to name a few. She made all of Lauretta and Lauraine's baton-twirling outfits for the parades as they accompanied their Dad, while he played his Sousaphone with the John Phillip Sousa Marching band. As the family grew up, she made many of the girls' dance costumes, Easter outfits and school clothes, including poodle skirts and their favorite double circle skirts.

Isabelle went to work for Litton Industries in Woodland Hills from 1960 through 1977. She worked in the clean room and was very proud of her awards for zero defects. She even had her name on a parking place.

Isabelle and Larry loved to travel, visiting all of the states (including Alaska and Hawaii). The family visited many of the National Parks and historical points of interest, from east to west, north to south, across the United States.

In 1956, Larry was transferred from North American Aviation/Rocketdyne to the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, where the family lived on an island in Guntersville Lake. Isabelle excelled in southern cooking. It was quite an experience.

After two years, the family returned to Simi Valley. As the kids grew-up and branched-out on their own, Larry retired and they decided to move to Mesa, Arizona. Isabelle was widowed in 1981. She continued to enjoy traveling for many years, with her sisters, family and friends, visiting many foreign countries around the world. Returning to Ventura County in 2010, she lived in Moorpark and Thousand Oaks for the remaining years of her life.

Isabelle will be missed, but she has left us with so many memories to share. She was preceded in death by her husband Lawrence, daughters Lauraine Leas and Sue Arrigoni. She is survived by one sister and three brothers, as well as her daughters Bernie, Lauretta and son John, plus 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. ³

Norma married Reuben Charles Kravik. (Reuben Charles Kravik was born on 12 Jul 1917, died on 11 Sep 2010 in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA and was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Anoka, Anoka County, Minnesota, USA ⁴.)

Norma next had a relationship with Not known about 1943.¹

Norma next married Laurence Earl Leas, son of Warren Earl Leas and Leola Mary Spangler, on 12 Dec 1943 in Methodist Church, Hollywood, California, USA. (Laurence Earl Leas was born on 13 May 1910 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA, died on 10 Feb 1981 in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA and was buried in Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Westlake Village, Los Angeles County, California, USA ⁴.)