Doloris (Howard) NORRIS

NORRIS, MELCHERT, HOWARD, BOSSEN, HAUSMANN, HOWARD, TAYLOR

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/30/2013 at 11:44:51

February 22, 1918 ---- June 18, 2013

Doloris “Dee” Norris, 95, of Buffalo, Minn. passed away on June 18, 2013 at Lake Ridge Care Center, Buffalo, Minnesota. Funeral service was on Friday, June 21 at the Peterson Chapel, Buffalo. Visitation was one hour prior to service at the funeral home. Interment followed at South Santiago Lutheran Cemetery, Santiago, Minn.

Beloved grandmother of Brad, Marnita, Brian, and Michelle Melchert, and Colin and Jorin Bossen, Granny Dee passed away having lived a long, wonderful life. She was born a few weeks early on Feb. 22, 1918 in Galt, Iowa to Marie (Hausmann) and Harry Burr Howard. She spent the first few months of her life in a shoebox, tucked behind the family cast-iron stove (early incubator). Dolores grew up in Mason City, Iowa.

She met the love of her life, George Frederick Norris and spent the next 66 years with him in Mason City, Renwick and Belmond, Iowa, as well as Chaska, Waconia, Clear Lake and Clearwater, Minn. Willing to become a farm wife, Dolores worked much of her married life at Tomco Seed Co. and Gedney Pickle Co. as an accountant.

George and Dolores spent many of their retirement years traveling around the country in their camper as “snow birds,” making new friends and enjoying life together. She was known for her wonderful cooking, canning and freezing of home grown produce from George’s gardens, a love of which she instilled in both of her daughters. They have in turn passed on the passion of cooking good food to their children. Her pies were inspirational. She expanded the palate of her Midwestern family by making homemade noodles, breads, spaghetti, mulligan stew, and chow mein. Always willing to experiment, she successfully tried her hand at making homemade root beer, soap and ketchup.

She is survived by: her daughters, Juanita (Maurice) Melchert of Buffalo, (who has dedicated countless hours of love and devotion to our Mom as she spent her last several years in a Buffalo nursing home) and Kathleen (Howard) Bossen of Williamston, Mich.; 6 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and sister, Wilma Taylor of Decorah, Iowa.

Thank you, Mom, our pretty lady, for all you have taught and given us, including patience, love and commitment. The Peterson Chapel, Buffalo served the family.

Wright County Journal Press - Buffalo, Minnesota
June, 2013