Norma Graham died on January 14, 2026, at the age of 101. She was preceded in death by her parents Jay and Sarah Whiteside, her husband of more than 50 years, Dr. Kenneth L. Graham, her brother Bob Whiteside and her grandson Jay Graham.
She is survived by her four children Mike (Pam), Tom (Mary Ford), Rob (Helen) and Scarlett, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Norma was originally from Western North Carolina, where she and her brother spent much of their formative years with their grandmother and maternal aunts (Polly, Edna and Ruth). She graduated from The Ohio State University with a nursing degree and moved to Leavenworth shortly after World War II. In 1946, she and Dr. Ken were married in the Chapel of the Veterans at Wadsworth VA hospital, where he was stationed at the time.
Norma utilized her nursing background to help Dr. Ken establish his medical practice in Leavenworth and remained active throughout her life in local community affairs. She was twice elected to the Leavenworth Board of Education and was a member of a local chapter of P.E.O. Norma’s interests included painting, bridge and reading. She played tennis regularly well into her seventies and was a loyal fan of KU basketball, the Royals and the Chiefs.
The family wishes to thank the staffs of Twin Oaks Assisted Living and Catholic Community Hospice for their care of Norma.
