1926
Norma
2012
Norma Lou Uray
August 7, 1926 — January 14, 2012
Hudson-Norma Lou Uray died suddenly Saturday morning at her residence.
Norma Lou Wagner was born August 7, 1926 in Struthers Ohio, a daughter of Norman Paul and Louise Caroline Frank Wagner.
Norma grew up in Struthers and was a 1944 graduate of Struthers High School. In 1948, Norma received her BA in Fine Arts from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Norma had a love for people, art, fashion, music and shopping. While living in Struthers, she taught Sunday school classes at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Youngstown, Ohio
Norma began her career as a high fashion illustrator in department store advertising, working for the advertising department at Strouss-Hirshberg Department store in Youngstown, Ohio.
Norma's talents were recognized by other major department store advertising people and she was offered and accepted positions with major department stores in Cleveland, Pittsburg, Atlanta and Los Angeles, CA. doing their high fashion advertising illustrations.
She was a successful advertising artist when advertising artwork was drawn by hand before photography took over. Norma's advertising art specialty was full page drawings of high fashion clothes. She was ranked by her peers as among the top four illustrators of high fashion clothes ads in the country. Norma's drawings were also featured in Vogue Magazine.
On the 24th of January, 1970, Norma married Charles Uray, Jr. of Youngstown, at the Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, CA. and they started their married life in Los Angeles, CA.
While living in Los Angeles, CA, she became active in two organizations, The Ebell Club and the Woman's Republican Club of Southern California, which at the time was the largest women's Republican organization in California and the United States. Appointed Chairwoman of the "Elect Reagan for Governor" effort by the Republican Woman's Club, Norma organized a telephone bank of 50 telephones, rented space and recruited members of the Republican Women's Club to man the telephones during the day and early evening hours to encourage people to get out and vote for Mr. Reagan. Effort was credited with obtaining the necessary votes in Southern California to win the re-election for Ronald Reagan for Governor of California in a tight election race.
Norma was elected President of the Ebell Club, an all-woman organization that owned a large building on Wilshire Boulevard that included an art gallery, eleven hundred seat theatre with a large stage for theatrical productions, orchestra performances and other rooms for
meetings. The Ebell Club was a philanthropic organization and provided scholarships for academic and art studies to economically disadvantaged students.
Norma and her husband lived in many cities in the United States as a result of his employment. Norma became active in philantrophic and church activities where ever she lived, giving freely of her time and talents to help people.
While living in Lansing, MI, Norma was appointed to be Chairman of the Clifton and Dolores Wharton Center for the Performing Arts Gift Shop at Michigan State University. She completely reorganized the shop and replaced nearly all of the old merchandise with new items and doubled sales the first year of operation under her management.
Norma was asked to co-chair the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts. She and her co-chair, Mary Collins, planned and organized an evening of celebration for four hundred and twenty four members of the Wharton Inner Circle and major donors. This included cocktails and hor'dourves served under a large tent, gourmet dinner on the very large stage inside Wharton auditorium followed by a stage show.
Norma continued her involvement with her church in Lansing, MI. She organized a singles club at the St. Stephens Lutheran Church which was located next to the Michigan State Campus. St Stephens was a designated Campus Ministry church and had a large number of student members. The Singles Club scheduled activities on the weekends to provide students a break from their studies and meet other students of the same faith.
When Norma's husband retired, they moved to their home state of Ohio where they were born. Norma continued her church activities by organizing an activities group for the over 50 year old members of her Lutheran church in Stow, Ohio and called the group "The Joy Group" (Just Older Youth).
She now belongs to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hudson, Ohio. There, she again became active in her church and contributed her time and talents to several church activities. She joined a group called the "Christ Care Group" and recently was asked to lead a group called "Evangelism U"
This group's function is to stimulate the interest of Lutherans in the community who do not belong to a Lutheran Church and perhaps succeed in attracting these Lutherans to attend church. She was active in responding to requests for assistance in many other church activities.
Norma also contributed her time and talents becoming actively involved in many women's service organizations in the Hudson community. For the Women's Club she was a member of the Scholarship Committee for four years, served as Vice President and participated in other activities
of the Women's Club.
For the Women's Blossom Committee, she served as a past Board Member, co-chaired the Silver Ball to raise funds for the Cleveland Orchestra, and co-chaired the Membership Committee and member of various other Committees. She also was a member of the Establishment Club and The P.E.O. Chapter D.O. and supported The Hudson Players.
Norma leaves behind her husband of 42 years, Charles Uray, Jr; four nephews; Richard (Denise) Wagner, and son Jonathan (Christina); David (Tammy) Wagner and sons, Weston and Andrew; and Bradly and Christian Wagner; sister-in-law Joelyn Wagner; first cousin, Lois Frank; sister-in-law, Margaret Hallitt and daughters Jane Hallitt and Susan Marsh; and numerous cousins and many friends.
Besides her parents, Norma was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Wagner and brother-in-law, Dr. Jack Hallitt.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, 2:00 PM at the Davidson-Becker Funeral Home, Struthers. Friends may call Wednesday from 4-7 PM and Thursday from 1-1:45 PM at the funeral home.
The family request memorial tributes take the form of contributions to The Haven of Rest, 175 E. Market Street, Akron, OH 44308.
Norma Lou Wagner was born August 7, 1926 in Struthers Ohio, a daughter of Norman Paul and Louise Caroline Frank Wagner.
Norma grew up in Struthers and was a 1944 graduate of Struthers High School. In 1948, Norma received her BA in Fine Arts from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Norma had a love for people, art, fashion, music and shopping. While living in Struthers, she taught Sunday school classes at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Youngstown, Ohio
Norma began her career as a high fashion illustrator in department store advertising, working for the advertising department at Strouss-Hirshberg Department store in Youngstown, Ohio.
Norma's talents were recognized by other major department store advertising people and she was offered and accepted positions with major department stores in Cleveland, Pittsburg, Atlanta and Los Angeles, CA. doing their high fashion advertising illustrations.
She was a successful advertising artist when advertising artwork was drawn by hand before photography took over. Norma's advertising art specialty was full page drawings of high fashion clothes. She was ranked by her peers as among the top four illustrators of high fashion clothes ads in the country. Norma's drawings were also featured in Vogue Magazine.
On the 24th of January, 1970, Norma married Charles Uray, Jr. of Youngstown, at the Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, CA. and they started their married life in Los Angeles, CA.
While living in Los Angeles, CA, she became active in two organizations, The Ebell Club and the Woman's Republican Club of Southern California, which at the time was the largest women's Republican organization in California and the United States. Appointed Chairwoman of the "Elect Reagan for Governor" effort by the Republican Woman's Club, Norma organized a telephone bank of 50 telephones, rented space and recruited members of the Republican Women's Club to man the telephones during the day and early evening hours to encourage people to get out and vote for Mr. Reagan. Effort was credited with obtaining the necessary votes in Southern California to win the re-election for Ronald Reagan for Governor of California in a tight election race.
Norma was elected President of the Ebell Club, an all-woman organization that owned a large building on Wilshire Boulevard that included an art gallery, eleven hundred seat theatre with a large stage for theatrical productions, orchestra performances and other rooms for
meetings. The Ebell Club was a philanthropic organization and provided scholarships for academic and art studies to economically disadvantaged students.
Norma and her husband lived in many cities in the United States as a result of his employment. Norma became active in philantrophic and church activities where ever she lived, giving freely of her time and talents to help people.
While living in Lansing, MI, Norma was appointed to be Chairman of the Clifton and Dolores Wharton Center for the Performing Arts Gift Shop at Michigan State University. She completely reorganized the shop and replaced nearly all of the old merchandise with new items and doubled sales the first year of operation under her management.
Norma was asked to co-chair the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts. She and her co-chair, Mary Collins, planned and organized an evening of celebration for four hundred and twenty four members of the Wharton Inner Circle and major donors. This included cocktails and hor'dourves served under a large tent, gourmet dinner on the very large stage inside Wharton auditorium followed by a stage show.
Norma continued her involvement with her church in Lansing, MI. She organized a singles club at the St. Stephens Lutheran Church which was located next to the Michigan State Campus. St Stephens was a designated Campus Ministry church and had a large number of student members. The Singles Club scheduled activities on the weekends to provide students a break from their studies and meet other students of the same faith.
When Norma's husband retired, they moved to their home state of Ohio where they were born. Norma continued her church activities by organizing an activities group for the over 50 year old members of her Lutheran church in Stow, Ohio and called the group "The Joy Group" (Just Older Youth).
She now belongs to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hudson, Ohio. There, she again became active in her church and contributed her time and talents to several church activities. She joined a group called the "Christ Care Group" and recently was asked to lead a group called "Evangelism U"
This group's function is to stimulate the interest of Lutherans in the community who do not belong to a Lutheran Church and perhaps succeed in attracting these Lutherans to attend church. She was active in responding to requests for assistance in many other church activities.
Norma also contributed her time and talents becoming actively involved in many women's service organizations in the Hudson community. For the Women's Club she was a member of the Scholarship Committee for four years, served as Vice President and participated in other activities
of the Women's Club.
For the Women's Blossom Committee, she served as a past Board Member, co-chaired the Silver Ball to raise funds for the Cleveland Orchestra, and co-chaired the Membership Committee and member of various other Committees. She also was a member of the Establishment Club and The P.E.O. Chapter D.O. and supported The Hudson Players.
Norma leaves behind her husband of 42 years, Charles Uray, Jr; four nephews; Richard (Denise) Wagner, and son Jonathan (Christina); David (Tammy) Wagner and sons, Weston and Andrew; and Bradly and Christian Wagner; sister-in-law Joelyn Wagner; first cousin, Lois Frank; sister-in-law, Margaret Hallitt and daughters Jane Hallitt and Susan Marsh; and numerous cousins and many friends.
Besides her parents, Norma was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Wagner and brother-in-law, Dr. Jack Hallitt.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, 2:00 PM at the Davidson-Becker Funeral Home, Struthers. Friends may call Wednesday from 4-7 PM and Thursday from 1-1:45 PM at the funeral home.
The family request memorial tributes take the form of contributions to The Haven of Rest, 175 E. Market Street, Akron, OH 44308.
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