Norma Ellen Hancock Shihady

The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, AZ, August 23, 2006

Norma Ellen Hancock Shihady

Norma Ellen (Hancock) Shihady, of Cottonwood, died July 7, 2006. She was born in Spring Valley in 1927 to Roy Hancock and Flora Tissaw, one of 12 children.

She was a third-generation Arizonan. Her grandfather Joseph Tissaw migrated from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and settled in the Verde Valley in 1887. Norma was raised on her father's Hancock Cattle Ranch near Parks.

Norma had many talents - volunteer firefighter, rodeo bronc and bull rider, ranch hand, cook, wife, mother and homemaker. In recent years she volunteered at the Cottonwood Food Bank. Many of Norma's crocheted afghans and baby clothes found their way into the community through the various organizations she supported. She was a long-time member of the Cottonwood Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Survivors include her sons Ron Ralph and Ralph Lucas; daughters Debbie Hinkle, Cheryl McGill and Lyndsey Adams; sister Betty Macias; and seven great-grandchildren.

Obituary reproduced with permission of The Verde Independent. 

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Norma Shihady

In peace and surrender, Norma Ellen (Hancock) Shihady went to her Father in Heaven at her home on July 7, surrounded by loved ones.  It is with both sadness and joy that we share with you the life and death of our beloved.  To know her was a gift, to share her life was a treasure.  She will be remembered for her deep faith and enduring love.  Her spirit will bring strength to generations who follow.

Norma Shihady was a third-generation Arizona native.  Grandfather Joseph Tissaw migrated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, settling in the Verde Valley in 1887.

Norma's mother, Flora, was one of 12 children.  When Flora Tissaw married cattleman Roy Hancock, her sister Ruth married his brother, Jack.  Norma was born in Spring Valley in 1927.  She was raised on her father's Hancock Cattle Ranch near Parks.

Norma had many talents ‹ volunteer fire fighter, rodeo bronc and bull rider, ranch hand, cook, wife, mother and homemaker.  She enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and being with her family.  She was mother to seven children; four of her own, one she adopted as her own, and two grandchildren.  In recent years, she volunteered at the Cottonwood Food Bank.  Many of Norma's crocheted afghans and baby clothes have found their way into the community through the various organizations she supported.  She loved God and her church, and was a long-time member of the Cottonwood Seventh-day Adventist church.

She follows in sleep sisters Jean Johnson and Pat Sanders and brother, cowboy poet Sunny Hancock.  She is survived by sister Betty Macias of Apache Junction; sons Ron Ralph of Cornville and Ralph Lucas of Trinidad, Colo.; and daughters Debbie Shinkle of Trinidad, Colo., Chery McGill of Tucson and Lyndsey Adams of Cornville.  She was loved dearly by seven great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews too numerous to count, and many other family members.  Norma Shihady's message for the future was, "Trust the process and have faith."

Services were held July 15 at her home in Cornville.

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