Kaisand, Norma J. 1929-2016

KAISAND, PEDERSON, MEHLIN, WILSON, HERWEHE, NELEMAN, KOPECKY, FOSTER, WILLSON, EARLEY, HUDNUT, NELEMAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 11/2/2016 at 08:43:07

Norma Kaisand
October 21, 2016
Grinnell, Iowa

Norma J. Kaisand, age 87, of Grinnell, died on Friday evening, October 21, 2016, at Beebe Hall of the Mayflower Community in Grinnell.

A funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2016, at the Grinnell United Methodist Church with Rev. Dave Crow, pastor of the church, officiating. Casket Bearers will be her grandchildren. Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery near Lynnville.

Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell and the family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Memorials may be designated to the Norma Kaisand Memorial Fund to benefit local organizations. Memorials may be mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Condolences may be shared with her family online at www.smithfh.com.

Norma Jean Pederson was born on March 6, 1929 in rural Poweshiek County, Iowa near Grinnell on the family farm to Leonard O. E. Pederson and Augusta C. (Mehlin) Pederson. She lived within a ten mile radius of her birthplace her entire life. She graduated from Grinnell High School with the class of 1946. She began working at McGregor's in Grinnell right after high school.

She was united in marriage to Gus Junior Kaisand on October 23, 1949, in Grinnell. The couple lived on the family farm in Jasper County until 1988, when they moved to Grinnell. Gus passed away just a year later on March 18, 1989. In 1968, she began working for the Grinnell schools as a secretary at Bailey Park Elementary School and after 27 years of dedication, she retired in 1995. She also volunteered in the gift shop at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

Norma was a loving mother and grandmother and one who held a strong faith. She attended the Bethel Methodist Church and Grinnell United Methodist Church, respectively. She was an avid reader until an aging disease hampered her ability to do so.

Norma is survived by her children, Colette (Larry) Wilson of Grinnell, Marcia (Jack) Herwehe of Newton, Iowa, Greg "Gus" (Christy) Kaisand of Grinnell: her grandchildren, Todd (Katie) Neleman, Michele (Todd) Kopecky, Scot Wilson, Hilary (Josh) Foster, Jenny (Brad) Willson, Kyle Earley, Monica (Ryan) Hudnut, David Earley, Mollie (Ryan O'Dell) Earley; her great grandchildren, Hunter and Hannah Neleman, Jackson and Madeline Kopecky, and Bentley Willson, River Earley, Easton, Nolan, Greyson and Irie Hudnut; two brothers, Donald Pederson and Roger (Mitzi) Pederson of Grinnell; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Augusta Pederson; her husband, Gus Kaisand; one brother, Leonard, Jr. (at birth); and her sister-in-law, Audrey Pederson. ~ The Smith Funeral Home, Grinnell, Iowa.21 Oct 2016.