Norma Joan (Coover) Andresen, 26 Sep 1936 - 18 Nov 2022

ANDRESEN, COOVER, MITCHELL, RUEHLE, HARDER

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 11/30/2022 at 16:04:47

Norma Joan (Coover) Andresen, 86, of Spirit Lake, IA, formerly of Keystone, IA, was called to heaven on Friday, November 18, 2022, from Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake. Her children were at her bedside.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:30 pm, Saturday, December 3, 2022, at the Phillips Funeral Home Chapel in Keystone, IA. Rev. Brian Jack, of Milford, IA, will officiate. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1:30 pm until the start of the 2:30 pm memorial service. Interment for Donald and Norma’s companion urn will be held at the Keystone Cemetery following the service. Celebration of Life will be hosted at the Keystone Turner Hall, beginning at 4:30 pm. A memorial fund has been established to go to Lakes Regional Healthcare Home Care & Hospice, Spirit Lake, IA.

Norma was born on September 26, 1936, in Marengo, IA to Lawrence and Erma (Mitchell) Coover. She attended school in Marengo. In 1944, their family moved to a farm north of Belle Plaine, which continues on as the Coover family farm. Norma enjoyed growing up on the farm and told of many happy memories there. She graduated from Belle Plaine High School with the class of 1955.

Norma was united in marriage with her high school sweetheart, Donald Andresen, of Keystone, on March 24, 1956 at St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone. She was baptized and confirmed on December 9, 1956. Don and Norma's first home was an apartment in Keystone. Soon after, they moved to the Andresen family farm west of Keystone and farmed for 21 years, from 1956-1977, where they raised crops, livestock and three beloved children. They loved all of their country neighbors.

Donald, Norma and son Stuart moved to Spencer, IA in 1977. They were members of First English Lutheran Church and Norma was a member of Ladies Guild.

Norma began as a hair care volunteer, but soon became employed as a housekeeper at St. Luke’s Nursing Home. Within her 15 years there, she thoroughly enjoyed the residents and strove to make their days brighter. She told a story that her supervisor, Al Florke, drove her to work one morning on his snowmobile in a raging NW Iowa blizzard...true love and dedication to those she cared for!

They purchased a Shasta camper and enjoyed many outings with family, friends and their pug dog named ET. Norma enjoyed gardening and flowers, with her favorite being pink roses. She created nylon roses and enjoyed several other needlework crafts.

Both Norma and Don delivered Meals-on-Wheels. They also volunteered at Cherish House, a consignment store that supported young unwed mothers.

They wintered in Apache Junction, AZ for seven years and eventually moved there in June of 2001. Norma continued to volunteer in many ways. She and Don established many friendships and played cards and dominoes with a group of friends from Iowa. They welcomed visits from family and were proud to be AZ tour guides!

They returned to Iowa to live in Spirit Lake. Norma and Don were members of Immanuel Lutheran Church, where they were blessed with a close relationship with Rev. David Simonson. Moving to Keelson Harbour Assisted Living in 2016 gained them so many priceless friends, both residents and employees. They were grateful for the excellent care they received from all staff of Lakes Regional Hospital and Clinic and the love shown to them by Hospice nurses in their end days.

Norma loved the Lord and was very thankful for the dear family she'd been blessed with. She treasured celebrations of anniversaries and birthdays with precious family, neighbors and friends. Norma spoke with pride in her voice and tears in her eyes when she told of their generations of dear children and grandchildren!

Norma is survived by her children, Richard (Nancy) Andresen of Wakonda, SD, Patricia (Brian) Ruehle of Hazel Green, WI and Stuart (Julie) Andresen of Ft. Dodge, IA, 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren, sister-in-law Marilyn Coover of Belle Plaine and many dear nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, beloved husband of 66 years, Donald, on September 7th of this year, sister Laween Coover in infancy, brother Sheldon Coover, sister-in-law Shirley Harder and brother-in-law Verlyn Harder.

Online condolences: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Published in The Gazette on November 27, 2022.