My Grandma Norma Hartley: The Angel with an Apron

Grandma Norma Hartley, 1982

This family story was adapted by my father, James Hartley. I am grateful for the great example my grandmother, Norma Miner Hartley, left about love and caring for others. It has inspired me to be a better person. Here are my father's words:

Norma Hartley: The Angel with an Apron

King Arthur had a magician named Merlin to look after him. Cinderella had a fairy godmother. But, Doug and Joan Carr had their very own real-life guardian angel.

In the fall of 1960, the Carr’s moved to Hayward, California. Doug had just completed his master’s degree and was beginning a teaching career at Arroyo High School in neighboring San Lorenzo. They had four young children, one first grader and three preschoolers. In addition, Joan was pregnant with their fifth child. As the season transitioned into winter, the Carr’s children were plagued with continuing rounds of ear infections, colds, and sore throats. Soon Joan caught a cold from the children, and it quickly went deep into her chest.

The doctor diagnosed her with bronchial pneumonia. Her case had become so severe, in fact, that the doctor wanted to immediately admit her to the hospital. Joan pleaded with him not to do that. They had no insurance, they were struggling financially, and they had no one to care for the children. Very reluctantly, the doctor allowed her to go home—as long as she stayed in bed for ten days or so. 

Joan did what she could to obey the doctor. But, instead of getting better, her condition grew worse. Her fever was intense. Every breath she took was agony and every cough was excruciating. She couldn’t care for herself, let alone for the children and her husband. They desperately needed help. But, Doug couldn’t take time off from his new job. They had no family nearby. Being new to the area, they had no friends they could call on. Frantically, Doug turned to the only other source of help he knew of, his church [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]. Unfortunately, they were so new in their ward, they really didn’t know anyone. Nevertheless, Doug found out who their ward’s Relief Society president was, described to her their dire situation, and asked if she knew of anyone who could help them.

Bright and early the next morning, there was a knock on the door. There stood Norma Hartley, a woman they had never met before. She wore an apron and had books and crayons under one arm and assorted paraphernalia under the other. Each weekday morning she came before Doug went to work. She would stay for several hours in order to nurse Joan and care for the children. She also fixed lunches and dinners and did a myriad of household chores before Doug came home each afternoon. Then she would return home to take care of her own family. She did this voluntarily for two weeks until Joan had sufficiently recovered.

The stories of King Arthur and Cinderella were, of course, fiction. But, for the Carr’s, Norma was, indeed, their very own real-life guardian angel! They even gave her a nickname: “The Angel with an Apron.”

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Adapted by James E. Hartley from an article written by Joan Carr that was included in a booklet published by her LDS ward called "Chicken Soup for the Glenmoore Ward Soul."