| Noteringar |
- Bio: Ortonville, Minnesota: Funeral services for Norman Shelsta, age 84 of Ortonville, were Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville, with Pastor David Tonn officiating. Visitation was at the church for one hour prior to the funeral service. Norman passed away on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at Fairway View care center in Ortonville.
- Hymns sung during Norman's service were "How Great Thou Art", "My God and I", and "When Peace Like A River" (aka "It Is Well With My Soul"). "Going Home" was sung as a solo by Dan Stores. "Nearer My God To Thee" and "Battle Hymn of The Republic" were also performed. Organist was Kathy Haukos.
- Kathy Stolpman, John Meagher and Carson Storm spoke about their memories of Norman. Military Honors followed the service by American Legion Gertje Van Lith Post #229. Casketbearers were Bruce Swigerd, Dean Strand, Craig Randleman, Don Lundell, Brian Hasslen, John Meagher and Carson Storm.
- Burial was Tuesday afternoon at Kviteseid Cemetery in Milan, Minnesota.
- Norman Andrew Shelsta was born November 4, 1934 at Milan, Minnesota, to Sam and Hilma (Berglund) Shelsta. He grew up on the farm and graduated from Milan High School in 1952. Norman began farming after the death of his father in 1950, but later decided to become a teacher. He attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, South Dakota starting in 1956 and received his first teaching certificate in 1957, then returned to attend Northern State Teachers College during the Summers in the 1960s, ultimately receiving a Bachelors degree in Education in 1967. He later achieved a Masters of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 1972 from Mankato State University. He also completed a year of post-Masters degree study, and planned on further studies toward a Doctoral degree.
- Norman taught elementary school classes for 33 years. His first year as a teacher was in 1958 at a country school near Gary, South Dakota, then one year at Albee, South Dakota, and three years for Alban Township in Grant County, South Dakota.
- Following five years of teaching rural schools in South Dakota, he taught 5th grade at Bellingham from 1963-1967, and then 4th and 5th grades at Northfield, Minnesota for 24 years. Norman taught a total of 987 students during his teaching career. He retired from teaching in June 1991.
- Norman served in the United States Army from 1957-1958, and again in 1961-1962.
- He was an active and dedicated member of First English Lutheran Church, Kiwanis International, Sons of Norway, Senior Club, and several other organizations. He served on the Board of Directors for Kiwanis and Monarch Heights Assisted Living in Ortonville. He was a long-term, reliable volunteer and guide at the Big Stone County Museum, and a member of the Museum Board. He enjoyed teaching a class each Spring at the Museum's country school building to Ortonville and Clinton fourth grade students. He periodically wrote an article for The Ortonville Independent, "Musings From The Museum".
- Norman was a prolific writer and historian, and enjoyed sharing his knowledge of history with other people. He researched, studied and wrote family history, was an avid reader and also researched history and information on the Laura Ingalls Wilder family.
- Norman will be remembered by his friends and relatives as always being very kind, friendly, considerate, and generous. He was always willing to lend a hand and the first to offer help whenever it was needed, in whatever way he could. Norman always arrived early for any meeting or event, and was often the last to leave.
- He leaves behind many relatives, friends, and former students who mourn his loss.
- In his own words, Norman wrote: "Being single, school was my life, and I lived it to the fullest. So when they write my final chapter I can proudly say I was survived by 987 children, every one of them having a very special and unique quality. May God richly bless the lives of everyone I encountered along life's highway."
- He was preceded in death by his father, Sam Shelsta in 1950; his mother, Hilma Shelsta in 1960; brother, Floyd in 1946; and sister, Inez Shelsta Olson in 1993.
|
1934 - 2019 (84 år)
