Louise Juliet Groesbeck Norin, 1869-1950

GROESBECK, NORIN, FENNER

Posted By: Ruth McDowell (email)
Date: 5/25/2010 at 08:36:11

Afton Star Enterprise--November, 1950

Louise Juliet Groesbeck, eldest child and only daughter of Dan and Sarah Fenner Groesbeck was born near Afton on September 28, 1869 and died November 4, 1950, at the age of 81 years, one month and 8 days. Her parents were among the earliest settlers in Union County and during her lifetime, all but seven years of which she spent on the same Dodge Township farm, she watched Union County grow from a pioneer community to the thriving modern community we know today.

She attended the early rural schools as a girl. Later she studied at Pella, Iowa and became a teacher for a time.

At an early age she joined the Emmanuel Baptist Church where she was organist for many years.

On March 17, 1918 she was married to William Julius Norin of Ritzville, Washington where they made their home until his death in February 1925. After her husband's passing she returned to Iowa to make her home with her brother, B.W. Groesbeck. Here she spent the remainder of her h\life. She had been in failing health for the past two and one-half years but at the time of her death was bedfast only a few days.

She is survived by her three brothers, Herman, Arthur and Ben, all of Afton, also, four neices and one nephew and their families who will greatly miss her presence and always remember her many deeds of kindness and love.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Emmanuel Baptist Church by Lee Kivett of Macksburg. She was laid to rest beside her parents and grandparents in Ashland Cemetery in New Hope Township. This spot is just a few feet from where her grandparents first cabin was built when they came to Union County in 1854