FAIRFAX, VA - Norma Jensen Pugh, RN died on April 2, 2016. She was 90 years old. Norma was born on May 31, 1925 in Racine, Wisconsin. She was the daughter of Magda and Bert Jensen and middle sister to Albert and Kenneth Jensen. Norma spent her childhood in Racine surrounded by a close-knit circle of friends and family where she eventually married Lindley (Bud) Coates Pugh in 1948, also from Racine. Norma is survived by three children and their spouses, Sandy Pugh and James Lastowka, Dana and Patrick Clerkin, Paul and Cathy Pugh, seven grandchildren, Conor and his wife, Lauren, Carey and Austin Lastowka; Peter Clerkin and his wife, Amy, Brenna and her husband, Nicolas Lundstrom; Jessica and her husband Wayne Strong and Cara Pugh. Earlier this year Norma’s first great-grandson, Jack Emerick Clerkin and first great-granddaughter, Evelyn Marie Strong, were born. In 1943, Norma graduated high school and entered the St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Racine, Wisconsin. At the time, the US government offered nursing institutions a plan in order to recruit more nurses for the war. Students that St. Luke’s accepted would get their tuition paid for and a formal dress uniform to wear when representing their nursing school at off-campus activities. Norma would take part in these events and speak to high school students who might be interested in a nursing career. After she received her RN degree, Norma worked in a variety of nursing positions including as a general duty nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Racine, a public health nurse for the Board of Health in Milwaukee, WI, an ER nurse at the California State Receiving Hospital in Los Angeles, CA and a surgical nurse at Arlington Hospital in Virginia. Norma took a break from nursing while Bud and she raised their three children while living in Northern Virginia, Florida and North Carolina. Upon returning to nursing, Norma worked in the Intensive Care and Coronary Care Units for several years. She finished her nursing career by working as a private duty nurse so she could travel with her husband and friends and spend more time with her grandchildren. Norma took great pride in her Danish heritage and enjoyed sharing those traditions with her family. She hosted aebleskiver parties for her children’s friends, sent Danish Kringles from O&H Bakery to her children and grandchildren, knitted beautiful Christmas stockings for her children, their spouses, her grandchildren and their spouses and treasured her collection of Royal Copenhagen figurines, Christmas plates and china. Norma loved returning to her hometown with her family in tow for the annual Jensen Family Picnic held at Bohners Lake. Norma’s biggest hobby was knitting, and in addition to Christmas stockings, she knitted sweaters, scarves and afghans for herself and her entire family, as well as several scarves for orphans in Kenya. When she wasn’t knitting, she was cheering on her favorite college basketball team, the Duke Blue Devils. When a game was on TV, Norma would be front and center, wearing her Duke sweatshirt. She had already filled out her brackets for this year’s March Madness. Under that cool Danish exterior, Norma had a warmth and love for her husband and family above all else. “The greatest gift a mother can give her children is to love their father” is a quote that was written for her. Norma and Bud loved being together traveling, reading The Washington Post, watching sports on television or volunteering at their local hospital. Never wanting to completely remove herself from nursing, Norma logged more than 1,500 hours volunteering at the information center where she would be the first to tell you, “Once a nurse, always a nurse.” Her family will miss her. A memorial service will be held for Norma at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined.