Norma Jean (Van Drasek) Hastings

Norma Jean (Van Drasek) Hastings of Kalamazoo (Comstock Township), MI









Norma, age 81, died Monday afternoon, September 8, 2014 at Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo following a medical procedure.


Norma, the daughter of A.R. and Marian (Yates) Van Drasek, was born on January 25, 1933 in Watervliet, MI; was a 1951 graduate of Watervliet High School and received an Secretarial Degree from Western Michigan University. She retired in 1995 after 25 years of faithful service as a Bookkeeper for the Gull Lake Community Schools. Norma was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church of Augusta, MI and volunteered for its St. Vincent DePaul Society for many years. She was a member of a Book Club and also of the Monday Morning Bible Study group. Her relaxing time was found doing crocheting, needle point and knitting. Norma was an excellent cook and baker and she loved to spoil the family with her cookies, especially the grandchildren. She had a standing card game every Friday night and would spend as much time with her sisters and brothers as possible.


Norma was united in marriage to the love of her life, Lawrence E. "Bud" Hastings on February 1, 1958 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church of Hartford, MI and he sadly preceded her in death on October 17, 2007. Surviving is her daughter, Janet M. (Keith) Naughton of Northville, MI; two sons, Michael J. Hastings of Des Moines, IA and Patrick L. (Carrie) Hastings of Milan, MI; eight grandchildren; two sisters, Delores (Maurice) Miller of Hartford and Anna "Marie" Wendzel of Comstock Township, MI; two brothers, Gordon (Sandra) Van Drasek and Jack (Marcia) Van Drasek, both of WatervlietI and by numerous nieces and nephews. Norma was preceded in death by her parents and her brother-in-law, Doug Wendzel


Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, September 12th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, 12648 East D Avenue, Augusta with Father James F. Adams, Pastor, as Celebrant and assisted by Deacon Michael A. Carl. Family and friends are invited to continue Norma's life celebration with a time of fellowship and a luncheon immediately following the Mass in the Church Social Hall. Interment next to her beloved husband and a U. S Army veteran, Bud, will be at 1:30 p.m. at Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta. The Hastings family will receive friends on Thursday, September 11th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Farley-Estes & Dowdle Funeral Home, Richland Chapel, 9170 East D Avenue (M-89) where the Parish Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Memorial contributions in Norma's honor may be directed to the Church or the St. Vincent De Paul Society of the Church.