Obituary of Norma Veronica Vesta Kleer

Norma Veronica Vesta Kleer, 89, of Wesley Chapel passed away on February 12, 2023.

She was born in London, England to Julia Bononova Ball and Harold Norman Wragg on April 23, 1933. In order to escape WWII raids, her parents moved her around to various boarding schools and family members before starting nursing school in Torquay, England.

Then in 1954 she immigrated to the US to join her family in Philadelphia and became a Nursing Administrator. There, she was a pioneer in starting the first Intensive Care Unit in the country.  She proudly became a US citizen in 1959.  She moved her family to St. Petersburg in 1969 and went on to develop Pinellas County’s Disaster Plan, as well as the BayFlight Trauma Rescue for the Tampa Bay area. She was also instrumental in bringing care for the very first HIV/AIDS patients diagnosed in the Bay Area as well.

Aside from her triumphs, Norma’s favorite past time was to have tea and cookies with her family as often as possible. She was a master in sewing, which was her favorite hobby, and knitting and embroidering. She loved to teach others these crafts.  She was Catholic in faith and a parishioner of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church where she was a Charter Member of their Columbiette chapter and a highly recognized Reader.

Norma is survived by her son, David (Debbie) Kleer and her daughters, Dr. Valerie Mainguy and Laurie Venegas. Her four grandchildren: Dana Morris, Krystal Cox, Ian Byrne and Derek Venegas. Her six great grandchildren: Gabriel Morris, Juliana Snyder, Ethan Morris, Asher Cox, Olivia Byrne and Chase Byrne.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be sent to St. Jude Children's Cancer Reseach Hospital.