PITTSBURG, Kan. — Norma Strahan, who worked for The Morning Sun for 17 years, hit the triple digits on Thursday, May 14.

She’s celebrating with a private party this weekend and family members from all over the country are coming to wish her a “happy birthday.” Norma had two children, three grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and nine, soon to be 10, great-great-grandchildren.

The secret to staying young, according to Norma, is having fun. She loves cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, which has been her team since they first started, and gambling at the casinos.

“Win or lose, they are my team,” she said.

She has been to one Chiefs game, but she said she prefers to watch the games on television.

Before her husband, Dean, passed away in 1983, the pair would go to the lake most weekends and spend time on their boat. Waterskiing was one of their favorite activities. She also has happy memories of spending time with her sister at the lake, as well. One day, she and her sister painted the entire boathouse yellow, refrigerator and all, she said, and she laughs about it to this day.

Norma, nee Napier, was the oldest of eight children. She and the youngest, Jack, are the only siblings left. She was raised in Columbus, Kansas, and married Dean Strahan shortly before she turned 18. Norma was a majorette in the American Legion Drum Corps and won many contests for her tap dancing and baton twirling.

Dean joined the Air Force and Norma followed him to places like St. Louis and Myrtle Beach, but Dean was discharged after a year of service because of asthma.

The couple returned to Columbus where they took jobs working for the Columbus newspaper. Throughout the years, they moved to Coffeyville; Miami, Oklahoma; then to Pittsburg. As a pilot, Dean was part of a local flying club and owned a plane for many years. His flying experience led him to meeting people like Sam Walton and Bobby Kennedy. Norma accompanied him on his flying adventures a few times.

Norma and Dean both took jobs at The Morning Sun. Norma started part time in 1971, then went full time in 1972. While Dean worked on the press, Norma punched tape, which was taking copy, typing it into a machine that printed it out on computer tape.

“They were good to me,” she said about the people at The Morning Sun.

She retired in 1988 and spent a lot of her time sewing. She attended local craft fairs and sold her creations.

Despite having issues with her feet and some trouble with her hands, Norma was proud to report that after her most recent doctor’s visit, following some blood work, the doctor called her relative and said, “That woman has the body of a 20-year-old,” as he found no health issues at all.

When Norma reflects on her life, she loves to tell a story and laugh, thinking about the fond memories.

“We've had some good old times,” she said. “Never had any money in my life, but I had a lot of fun.”

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.