Emily Norman

Emily Norman, 79, died on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at ValleyCare and Rehab in Barnesville, MN.     Memorial Services will be 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 24, 2018 at St. James United Church of Christ with Rev. Frank Picard officiating.  Burial will be in the spring in Rosemound Cemetery, Barnesville, MN.  Visitation will be for one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Saturday.  Emily Marie Nicklay was born May 6, 1938 to Reuben and Hilda (Gaethke) Nicklay near Barnesville, MN.  She was baptized in the old E&R “German” Church and confirmed in the new U.C.C. Church when the E&R and Congregational merged to become the United Church of Christ.  She remained a member until the time of her death.  She graduated from Barnesville High School in 1956.  Her mother died when she was 12 years old and her life was changed forever.  She lived with different relatives until her marriage on February 3, 1956 to Ray Norman.  The couple farmed near Rothsay, MN.  They were divorced in 1992.  They were the parents of four children, who all learned the ethic of hard work at an early age.  She was so proud of their accomplishments when they became adults.  She attended NDSCS for one year when she was 48 years old.    In 1992, she moved to Wahpeton, ND and started cleaning houses.  In 1997, she moved to Breckenridge, MN.    She is survived by two daughters, two sons, ten grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. Among those are her daughter Teresa Nordick and her children, Cole (Jamie) Nordick, Dusty (Lisa Jerger) Nordick, all of Rothsay, and Lacy (Chris) Ecker of Dalton, MN; daughter Tammy (Tom) Nordick of Pelican Rapids, and their children, Kendra (Kevin) Binger of Moorhead, MN, Tyrell (Katie) Nordick of Pelican Rapids, Chancy (Justine) Nordick of Aitkin, MN, and Sierra (Matt) Johnson of Duluth, MN; son Jesse (Karen) Norman of Rothsay, and their sons Ben, Dalton, and Mason Norman;  and son Shawn (Mary) Norman of  Rothsay, MN.  She is also survived by her great grandchildren: Landon, Parker and Kasen Ecker; Lindy Binger; Kloie, Jorden & Tyson Nordick; Griffin and Breklyn Nordick; and Caden and Violet Nordick. Her brother Donald (Mary Jo) Nicklay, sisters-in-law Vivian Nicklay and Peggy Ramstad, four nephews, one niece, ex-son-in-law Jeff Nordick of Rothsay; and honorary grandchildren Kelsy Martinson, Tyler and Jordan Knudsvig also survive her.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and three brothers, Kenny, Art, and Bernie Nicklay.  Emily liked many kinds of music, blue grass, country, gospel, semi-classical, Cajon and the blues.  She always regretted that she couldn’t play the piano well.  She started lessons when she was 38 years old.  She loved to dance.  She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, sewing, quilting, and keeping a neat home.  She especially enjoyed many dogs and cats over the years: Husky, Friend, Sparky, and her beloved Bojangles, and her cats Diesel, Chocise, and Echo.  Memorials preferred to your favorite animal rescue organization or the Glenn Ista Animal Shelter in Wahpeton.  The family would like to thank Ruth and Jerry Johnson and Linda Kutzer for all the help they gave to Mom.  Emily's Memorial Folder