As the Sequim Irrigation Festival approaches its 122nd year on May 5-14, the Gazette continues its profile of this year’s pioneers.

Norma Govan Knapman Topness is one of two Honorary Pioneers and says being selected by the Sequim Pioneer Association means a lot to her.

“There’s nothing quite like keeping heritage,” she noted.

“(The festival) is all about family. It’s just a tradition that’s gone on and on for us and the community.”

Topness was born in 1926 in Olympia to Julia and Hugh Govan, who worked on building many of the roads in the Sequim area. She is proud to say two of her great-uncles, Jim and Percy Govan, were some of the first festival pioneers, too.

Topness attended the University of Washington for two years and she married Calvin Knapman and moved to Sequim in 1948. Together they have six children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

On meeting Calvin, she remembers visiting her father on summer vacation and seeing “a good looking guy hucking hay.” Later she went with her family to a picnic in Port Angeles and asked her dad to introduce her to him.

The pair were together until 1968 after Calvin had been ill for some time. She married Jack Topness in 1972 but they divorced in 1982.

One of her many accomplishments includes building Cal’s Restaurant in 1958, where the Dynasty Restaurant now sits. She later expanded the business and went on to sell it in 1975.

Topness moved a few times after her first stint in Sequim, living in Clallam Bay, Discovery Bay and Philomath, Ore., before coming back in 1982.

She worked at Patty Lovala’s La Hacienda restaurant and gift shop for several years before retiring at the age of 81 at Gary Lange’s Sunnyside Mini-Storage.

She’s served in the American Legion for 60-plus years until recently and served as treasurer and poppy chairman for several years. Topness also was active in Eastern Star through the Sequim Masonic Lodge.

She loves her children and grandchildren very much and enjoys reading, crosswords and puzzles.

Topness said Sequim remains a friendly place even though it doesn’t look as familiar to her as years ago.

“There’s no place I’d rather be than in Sequim,” Topness said.

For more information on the Irrigation Festival, visit www. irrigationfestival.com.