Norvella June Boccia (Melton) of West Mineral, Kansas, passed away on Nov. 2, 2022, after a prolonged struggle with dementia. She was 87 years old.
Norvella was born in Weir, Kansas, to Everett and Alice Melton as the oldest of five children. She attended Weir elementary and graduated from CCCHS Cherokee in 1953. She participated in a variety of activities, playing basketball, singing with the acapella choir, and serving as drum majorette with the high school marching band. She was gifted with artistic abilities and studied commercial art.
In 1952, Norvella met the love of her life, Carmen Michael Boccia, of West Mineral, and the two were married in 1953. They were blessed with five children in as many years and raised their young family in West Mineral and Columbus. Norvella enjoyed homemaking and supporting her children in their many activities, including serving as a leader for both boy and girl scouts.
Norvella and Carmen were blessed with a sixth child in 1973 and moved to Vinita, Oklahoma, where they lived for six years before moving to Pittsburg and would live for 42 years.
In their retirement years, Carmen and Norvella traveled, supported the development of the Big Brutus museum, and enjoyed the company of family and friends. Norvella joined the West Mineral Eagles Ladies Auxiliary and took up oil painting, creating many beautiful paintings for family and friends.
"Norvie" (as close friends and family knew her) never met a stranger and was known for her big heart and fun-loving personality. To the astonishment of her family, these traits still shined throughout her 10-year struggle with vascular dementia.
Norvella was greatly loved and will be so deeply missed. She is survived by her husband, Carmen; children, Theresa Boccia Barker (Byran, deceased), Victor Boccia (Don), Vincent Boccia (Vicki), Barbara Wixon (Mark), and Monica Taylor (Troy); her siblings, Arelva Brynds, James Melton, and April Richardson; and many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son and daughter-in-law, John Boccia and Kathy Boccia (Johnson), and her sister, Rosalie Monroe (Melton), along with an infant brother and sister, Arnold and Minnie Melton.
Funeral services will be held at Bath Naylor Funeral Home in Weir at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the service at 11:30. Burial will follow at Star Cemetery in West Mineral.
Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Expressions of sympathy and remembrance are strongly suggested in lieu of flowers. The family requests donations be made toward a playground memorial to be constructed at Big Brutus, Inc. honoring the lives of John and Kathy Boccia and Norvella Boccia. Donations should be made out to "Big Brutus Inc." and mailed to P.O. Box 25, West Mineral, KS 66782. Please notate "Boccia Sandbox Project" in the memo.
Services are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Weir.
