Norma Gwendolyn Schweikhard (Bischoff)

Norma Gwendolyn Schweikhard (Bischoff), 95, passed away on Sunday, June 10, 2018, at a hospital, in Boise. No services will be held. Cremation is under the care of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

Norma was born November 26, 1922, in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. She lived in Rabaul New Britain, New Guinea until evacuated to Sydney, Australia in December 1941 just prior to the Japanese occupation of the island. While living in Sydney and working on the Navy Warf, she met her future husband, William Schweikhard. Norma came to the United States in 1946, became a naturalized citizen in 1949, and as a military wife, lived in several states until William retired from the US Army in California. He then worked for FAA in San Francisco, California until his retirement in 1980. They then moved to Gig Harbor, Washington where she stayed until 1998 after her husband’s death, when she moved to Mountain Home to be near her family.

She enjoyed sewing, quilting, and machine embroidery. She was also an avid member of the Emblem Club for many decades. In her youth, she trained for the 1940 Olympics in swimming. In the spirit of the military family, Norma sponsored and cared for numerous American and foreign soldiers. Her home and heart were always open and available, while her husband served in combat 2 years in the South Pacific, and 3 years in the Republic of Korea.

She is survived by her daughter Jan, and her husband Bryan Savage, two grandchildren Katrina Savage and Derek and his wife Tabitha Savage, and two great-grandchildren Kai and Keeley Savage, all living in Idaho. She was preceded in death by her husband William in 1996.