Krauskopf, Norma Annette (Phillips) 1926 - 2016

KRAUSKOPF, PHILLIPS, HARTER, BALL, SANDERS, ORR, MARTIN, HABIG, GETZ, ZIMMERMAN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/14/2016 at 11:04:18

Norma Annette Krauskopf, 90, passed away on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at the Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah, Iowa where she had been a resident for 4 years.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah with Rev. Richard Simon Hanson officiating. Burial will be in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.

Visitation will begin after 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, one hour before services, at Fjelstul Funeral Home.

Born in Whitley County, Indiana on March 23, 1926, to Culley Phillips and Katharine (Harter) Phillips. Norma grew up on a retail dairy farm milking purebred Ayrshire cattle with three brothers. She attended elementary and high school in Leo, Indiana graduating with the class of 1944. She went on to college to become a Registered Nurse receiving her degree from the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in Fort Wayne, Indiana on April 19, 1948. Their class motto: “The Higher We Climb, the Broader Our View”.

On December 30, 1948, she married Maurice Krauskopf. They moved from Indiana to Iowa in 1958. Here they farmed together and raised their family in Dike. While living in Grundy County, Norma first worked at the Lutheran Home in Cedar Falls, then Grundy County Hospital and then for a Doctor in Grundy Center. Myron remembers special times with the four of them sitting under this huge tree in the yard, just being a family. His mom taught her children how to cook, clean up after themselves, (mostly) and to enjoy the simple things in life.

Being empty nesters they decided to relocate to rural Decorah in 1970 to raise their Red Angus cattle amongst the hills and valleys while Norma farrowed pigs. In 1977 she put her nursing skills to work when their daughter was in a horrific automobile accident in Nebraska. Norma was instrumental in her long road to rehabilitation. When the dust settled, Norma decided she wanted to go back to nursing. So began her employment at the Barthell Eastern Star Nursing Home in Decorah. She was there for several years and made close friends. While there she was encouraged to teach Nurses Aid (CNA) Classes at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, IA. This endeavor became the highlight of her career until retiring, since we are not sure she actually ever retired.

Maurice and Norma were able to travel extensively until they were no longer able. With love and devotion she became a caregiver to her husband until his death in 2006. After a year of his passing, she lived with Myron and Judi. While with them, she had a major surgery and her health declined. It was a sad day in December of 2011, when she announced it was time for her to go to a nursing home. Even when she became a resident at the home she continued to “teach” and be an inspiration to those who wanted to learn more. Norma had been a licensed Registered Nurse for 54 years, and was very proud of that fact. Another proud moment for her was to present her granddaughter Kelli with a nursing pin, and the first to welcome her into the nursing profession.

Norma was a member of First Lutheran Church and of the Decorah Chapter #78 Order of the Eastern Star. She was a former member of the Glenwood Lutheran Church and Fredsville Lutheran Church, Dike, IA. She enjoyed teaching Sunday school especially to young adults and attending church functions. She was also a former member of the Waukon Toastmistress Club and a 4-H leader.

Norma loved roses, to embroider, go mushroom hunting in the spring, pick gooseberries for her famous gooseberry pie, put up a garden, she could name a bird by its song, tell you what tree you just walked under, and could predict the weather by watching the clouds, she loved all creatures great and small, she got a hoot out of watching squirrels, hummingbirds and looking for cardinals against the winter snow. She couldn’t carry a tune, but loved to sing along with music. She enjoyed reading while she could and when she couldn’t, she listened to audio tapes, and when she could, wrote a letter to her daughter every Sunday. She was exceptionally kind and taught us so much. She was a faithful devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. We’ve all been blessed to have her in our lives for so long. Norma will be remembered for nurturing capabilities.

Survivors include her son, Myron (Judi) Krauskopf of Decorah; a daughter, Carolyn (Delbert) Ball of Hay Springs, NE.; five grandchildren, Kurt (Carisa) Krauskopf of Decorah, Kelli Lynn (Michael) Sanders of La Crosse, WI, Kent Orr of Grand Island, NE, Kory Orr and Kelly Ann Orr of Hay Springs, NE; six great grandchildren, Kolin, Kasey, Keatyn and Carson Krauskopf of Decorah, Zeke and Gabe Martin of La Crosse, WI.; a nephew, Richard (Joan) Phillips of Fort Wayne, IN; nieces, Beverly (Dave) Habig of Hemet, CA, Charlene (Conrad) Getz of Grabill, IN and Lynette (David) Getz of Fort Wayne, IN; and cousin Donald (Diana) Zimmerman of Greenfield, OH.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice; parents Culley and Katharine Phillips; parents in law, Albert and Elsie Krauskopf; her three brothers and their wives, Chalmers (Margaret) Phillips, Lorris (Irene) Phillips, DeVon (Velma) Phillips; Niece, Luann Phillips, infant daughter, Karen Krauskopf who died shortly after her birth, and her beloved Dalmatian “Rascal”.

Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database

Phelps Cemetery
 

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