Kathleen Norris

Kathleen Vernette Norris was born January 10, 1949, to Nora and Ernest Norris in Fairmont, Minnesota. In 1951, they moved to the farm of Marvin and Lorraine Gaard near Oakland Lutheran Church. In 1952, they moved to the 40-acre farm they had purchased about 2 miles away. Kathleen attended a small one room school near the farm for first grade. This school was consolidated into Hayward and she attended Hayward for second through sixth grade. For grades seven through nine, she attended Southwest Junior High in Albert Lea and Albert Lea Senior High for grades ten to twelve graduating in 1967. Kathleen took many courses in business and computers at Riverland Community College in Albert Lea.

Ernest and Nora raised sheep, chickens, and turkeys on the 40-acre farm. Some of the turkeys were the main course at Thanksgiving and Christmas for assembled Claasens. About 1958, a 40-pound rooster named Salvador was the menu feature. Nora and Ernest had a large garden raising potatoes, carrots, string beans, peas and squash which they canned in the fall. The homegrown produce and joined homemade bread and rolls on the Norris table. Ernest died in 1959. Kathleen and Nora continued to have a large garden but gradually reduced and ended the livestock. In the 1980’s they began to live in apartments in Albert Lea which were closer to jobs. Nora had several strokes and passed away in 1994. Kathleen continued to live in Albert Lea and had a small business cleaning houses. In the 2000s, Kathleen began to need a number of medications. Keeping up with increasing frequency and complexity of her medications became difficult for Kathleen and in 2012 she put herself in a care facility to help her handle all of the medications. In 2014, Kathleen moved to Prairie Senior Cottage in New Richland. Kathleen enjoyed visits from cousins Lamoyne and Sheldon Gaard and Carroll and Janae Claasen. A big Claasen family reunion organized by cousin Marilyn Christiansen and Joan Nordeen was well remembered by Kathleen. In 2019, Missy Czenkus became administrator of Prairie Senior Cottages and became a special friend to Kathleen. Kathleen was an avid reader and was a frequent customer of the public library while she had a car. At Prairie Senior Cottages she continued to order books and her bookcase was full of books.

On April 24, 2025, Kathleen’s body gave in to the effects of Alzheimer’s and stroke. She will be missed by many Clausen and Norris relatives, friends from school days, and neighbors and friends from Oakland Lutheran Church where she was a member from 1951 until her passing in 2025.

Kathleen’s funeral service is planned for 11 AM on June 7, 2025, at the Oakland Lutheran Church. She will be laid to rest at the Oakland Cemetery next to her parents, Ernest and Nora, her half-brother, Ernest Jr. and her half-sister, Anita. Anita spent many holidays and birthdays with Kathleen, Ernest and Nora until her passing in 2001. Kathleen was a person of simple needs and tastes and is now home with her Lord Jesus.