Norma Hunt dead: Kansas City Chiefs founder's wife passes away at 85, cause of death unknown

Norma Hunt, the matriarch of the Kansas City Chiefs, has passed away at the age of 85. No cause for the death has been given yet.

Norma Lynn Knobel, as she was known before her marriage, married Lamar Hunt in 1964. She was a schoolteacher and was associated with the Dallas Texans of the AFL. After the NFL put the Dallas Cowboys in the, the AFL franchise relocated to Kansas City to become known as the Chiefs.

She is pre-deceased by her husband, who passed away in 2006. She had two sons, Clark and Daniel. Clark is the current chariman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Just as her husband's name adorns to the AFC Championship trophy, she has her unique claim to fame within the NFL. She was the only woman who attended all the 57 editiions of the Super Bowl to date. How fitting is it then that the last one she watched, saw her beloved Kansas City Chiefs lift the Lombardi Trophy.

Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas mourn Norma Hunt

Norma Hunt was mourned by the Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas on her passing away. The soccer team was also chaired by Clark Hunt, with his father leaving an indelible influence on US soccer as well.

Releasing a joint statement, the Hunt family said, as part of a wider statement:

"Our family is deeply saddened by the passing of our mother, Norma. She was a wonderful mother and an extraordinary woman who will be dearly missed by all who knew her... Kind, generous and unfailingly positive, mom was one of a kind. Her joy and zeal for life were infectious. She loved caring for others, and she always had an encouraging word. She was a loyal friend, the consummate hostess and she had a rare ability to make everyone she encountered feel valued and at ease."

They added that her legacy was being with Lamar Hunt during the most consequential stages of his career, saying:

"She was by our father Lamar’s side every step of the way – from the merger of the AFL and the NFL to the formation of Major League Soccer, World Championship Tennis, the North American Soccer League, and their founding investment in the Chicago Bulls."

They ended the statement, concluding:

"Her quiet yet deep faith sustained her throughout her life, and we take great comfort knowing that she is home with the Lord. She will be greatly missed by our family, the extended Chiefs and FC Dallas families, and by everyone who knew her."