Normagene Hardcastle (Moore) Jenkins

Normagene Hardcastle (Moore) Jenkins

Norma came into this world on December 9, 1932 during a snowstorm in southeastern Oklahoma, at the Iron Cross where the counties of Pushmataha, McCurtain, and Choctaw meet. It was the dark of night and her father Gene Debs Hardcastle, rode his horse to pick up the doctor to help Della Arene Mowdy give birth to their only child.

Norma led a blessed life on a ranch during the Great Depression, being taught in a one-room schoolhouse by her mother. Her love of animals started with her being a ranch-hand, raising horses, cows, chickens, and dogs. Her first dog was a Pekinese named Cheetah.

Norma was athletic and could out ride all the boys who chased her. After her dad returned from service in WWII, the family settled in Antlers, OK. She loved dressing up and had a favorite red dress with white polka dots and a red sash. She enjoyed driving the family’s baby blue convertible to watch football games in Dallas, chaperoned by her “little sister” Jane.

Norma attended OU where she met first husband Russell Moore. They moved to Albuquerque in 1953 so he could attend Law School at UNM. Always friendly, she met Anne Simms in the market, and the couple ended up living in the casita on the Simms property in the north valley where their first daughter, Malissa (Herbert) was born. The family expanded with two more surprises, Ann (Jung) and Libby (Hisel).

Norma was active in the dirty book club (aka Literary Lunch), planning Follies and fund raisers for the Junior League, and throwing big parties. She entered the workforce in the 1970s like so many other women and worked her way up to Vice President of Marketing at the First National Bank of Albuquerque.

In 1983, Norma both opened the Cheetah exhibit at the Albuquerque Zoo and met her second love, Bart Jenkins. They shared 25 years happy years of family, golf, dancing, and dogs.

An excellent cook and fashionable dresser, Norma was down to earth, opinionated, and dependable. She is who everyone turned to if they needed advice, help, or a chat. Her catch phrase was “let me know if you need anything.” Wanting to always be of service, Norma was still looking for a job in her last weeks of life but could not find anyone interested in hiring 87-year-olds.

Preceded in death by Russell, Bart, Julie & Ray Pitts, Rio, Ginger, Sport, and so many of her dear friends, Norma is survived by three generations - children Malissa and Jeffrey Herbert, Ann and Rex Jung, Libby and Larry Hisel, Greg and Ann Jenkins, Chris and Shirley Jenkins, Donna and Chris Heslop; grandchildren (Mia, Jacob, Sage, Stevan, Katie, Danni, Shara, Diana, Ashley), and great-grandchildren (Isabel, Amelia, Rowan, Russell, Luke, Olivia, Addison, Cooper, and Quincee).

A devoted mother to many, and loyal friend to so many more, Norma left this world peacefully on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Her ashes will be returned to the earth in a small, family ceremony.

Thank you to care given at Palmilla Senior Living (Lynn, Lynn, Erica, Garland) and Heartland Hospice, and French’s Funerals (JoAnne, Geraldine).

Gifts may be made in Norma’ s honor to the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico, www.animalhumanenm.org.