Norma Arlene Smith

Norma Arlene Smith, age 86, of Storm Lake, Iowa passed away Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Funeral services will be held Friday, January 22, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will take place Thursday, January 21, 2016 from 5-7:00 p.m. with a rosary at 7:00 p.m. all at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Genesis Development. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Norma Arlene Johnson was born on August 28, 1929 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She was the second daughter of Arthur T. and Elva (Moline) Johnson. Growing up on a small farm near Albert City, she had a wonderful life full of extended family and 100% Swedish heritage. One of her earliest memories was a cross-country trip to California to visit relatives. Always one to nurture and care for others, Norma decided early on she would become a teacher. She attended Buena Vista College where she received her teaching certificate in 1949. Well liked by her classmates, she was crowned Homecoming Queen. Her first teaching assignment was in Marathon, Iowa where she taught 4th grade. A local famer named Paul Smith from Storm Lake set his eyes on Norma one night at the Cobblestone Ballroom and asked her to dance. That night started a courtship that led them to getting married on May 31, 1950. They started their married life living on several acreages around Paul’s family farm before moving into their own house in 1954. Already having three children, they filled this little house full of love with four more over the next ten years. This farm was the site of many celebrations after the arrival of “the playhouse”. Always a gracious hostess, Norma loved to fill the party house with her friends and family. After Norma’s children were all in school, she went back to teaching in a different role. In 1969, in the basement of the Presbyterian Church, she started a program for several young adults. She began to teach them life skills, including cooking and how to clean the church. They made craft items that they sold at bazaars to raise money for the program. Soon the program outgrew the basement of the church and was moved to West Milwaukee St. where the “Red Barn” began, eventually becoming Genesis Development. Even though she was no longer involved at this point, Norma continued her lifelong support for people with challenges. Continuing her career outside the home, she worked at Gooch’s Best and Golden Sun feeds where she enjoyed working with the public and providing the highest level of customer service. Later, she would become a full time assistant in the Storm Lake High School working with special education students. Whenever called to substitute, the kids that would have normally given another substitute “the business” stayed in line and gave her nothing but respect. Politics were an important part of Norma’s life. She was a die-hard Democrat. She enjoyed discussing what was happening in the world and stayed up on current events by reading the Des Moines Register and Storm Lake Times thoroughly. If the mail didn’t come because of a holiday, a trip was made to town to get that day’s newspaper. She also enjoyed thousands of hours of Public Television and was a “friend” for many years. She especially enjoyed Downton Abbey and will be watching the very last season in “high definition”. Norma loved spending time at Okoboji and visited there many times. She also took her parents and sister, Dorothy, on a road trip to California to visit their extended family in 1980, retracing the route from 40 years earlier. She spent an epic week at Leach Lake Minnesota fishing and a family road trip to Washington DC. There were also trips to Maine, Seattle and Alaska. These trips were great fun for her, but she also enjoyed hearing about all of her children and grandchildren’s lives. Her connection to her family was the most important thing in her life. Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Paul D. Smith of Storm Lake, Iowa; children: Jonathon Smith of Jefferson, Iowa; Paula (Ron) Long of Sac City, Iowa; Phil (Jane) Smith of Schleswig, Iowa; Lou (Don) Krueger of Austin, Texas; Sarah (Fred) Selinger of Urbandale, Iowa; Rob (Michelle) Smith of Storm Lake, Iowa; son-in-law, Todd Anderson of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; 16 grandchildren: 16 great grandchildren; cousins; nieces; nephews; extended family and friends. Norma was preceded in death by her parents, Art and Elva Johnson; parents-in-law, Albert and Mayme Smith; sister, Dorothy Nordlund; brother-in-law, Roland Nordlund; and daughter, Kristine Anderson.

Norma Arlene Smith

August 28, 1929 - January 17, 2016