Norma ( Beneke) Oitzman

OITZMAN, BENEKE, MEER, MIDDENDORF, HORSMAN, GOETZINGER, WENDELL, WILD, GUILLIEN, WIEGREFE, KANNENBERG, MOREY, WIELAND, CORDES

Posted By: Diana Diedrich (email)
Date: 11/24/2006 at 20:18:55

Norma Elsie Emma (Beneke) Oitzman, 85, of Caledonia, died Saturday, May 31, 2003, at the Caledonia Lutheran Home.
She was born October 3, 1917 in Jefferson Township, Houston County, to William and Mary (Meyer) Beneke. Norma was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s, Wheatland. On December 8, 1936, she married Alvin Oitzman in Waukon, IA. In 1942, they bought a farm in Jefferson Township where they would farm and raise their five children.
Norma was active in 4-H work, Farm Bureau, and Homemakers groups. She also was an active member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in New Albin, IA, where she had been president of the Women’s Fellowship. In 1972, they sold the farm and bought a country home in Winnebago township. Norma had many artistic talents; decorating cakes, tatting, crocheting, sewing, and quilting. She also volunteered to work with SEMCAC.
Norma and Alvin enjoyed dancing, playing cards, and taking vacations around the United States. In September of 1993, they sold their home and moved to an apartment in the Golden Age Estates in Caledonia. On May 5, 1994, Alvin preceded Norma in death. Norma then moved to the Buckley Apartments in Caledonia, and for the last five years she has courageously battled lymphoma cancer.
Survivors include a son, Richard (LaVonne) Oitzman of Caledonia; four daughters, Joanne Middendorf, Viola (Lyle) Horsman, Sharon (Verne) Goetzinger, all of Caledonia, and Marilyn (Wendell) Wild of Eitzen; 26 grandchildren; 42 great grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren; two brothers, William Jr. (Hilda) Beneke and Walter Beneke, both of Caledonia; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, Norma was preceded in death by her parents, a granddaughter, Janelle Guillien; six sisters, Ella Wiegrefe, Alma Kannenberg, Frieda Meyer, Olga Morey, Hanna Wieland, and Hilda Cordes; and three brothers, Edwin, Louis, and Martin Beneke.
Services will be Wednesday, June 4, 2003, at 3 p.m. from St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, New Albin. Rev. William Reese will officiate. Burial will be at St. Peter’s Memorial Cemetery. Friends may call at Haugen-Roble-Jandt Funeral Home, Caledonia, on Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and at the church on Wednesday from 2 p.m. until the time of service. Norma was dearly loved and will be sadly missed by family and friends, but she will live in our hearts forever.

Caledonia Argus 2 Jun 2003